


Dance Like Your Life Depends on It

by Prince_of_Puzzles



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Atem drives a sports car, Ballet, Breakdancing, Dancing, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Yami Yuugi | Atem Has His Own Body
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-01-25 18:43:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 39,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21360913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prince_of_Puzzles/pseuds/Prince_of_Puzzles
Summary: Yugi is a talented ballet dancer, attending the prestigious Domino Performing Arts College, otherwise known as DPAC. At the urging of his instructor, he decides to formally begin studying modern dance, which includes breakdance, much to his dismay. His role model, Atem Sennen, is one of the most respected breakdancers in the nation and just so happens to attend the same school. What will happen when Atem takes an interest in Yugi's future in the breakdancing world...? One fateful encounter may provide some answers.
Relationships: Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi
Comments: 91
Kudos: 112





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Don't ask what inspired me to write this. I have no clue. But, here it is anyways! The fanfic that no one asked for but everyone needs. For those of you following my slow burn fic, The Tempest, fear not! This fic will not take its place; I merely want to work on a fic that gives Atem and Yugi less baggage so I can shove them together for kisses and fun more quickly. Heh. I was watching a breakdancing video recently, and I realized that I could totally picture Atem among the dancers... And I already had the idea for a college AU. So, without further ado, I introduce Dance Like Your Life Depends on It! 
> 
> If this fic receives support, then I will be far more likely to finish it. Please, if you enjoy the idea/writing, please leave a comment or kudos! And, I am always looking for suggestions about how to improve my writing. Be forewarned, this fic will likely not be as rigorously edited as The Tempest, so I apologize in advance for any errors you may come across. 
> 
> PoP

The music thrummed, echoing with an insistent force against the mirror-lined walls and surging powerfully through him as he moved in time to the beat. Yugi twisted, turned, kicked, and at just the right moment, thrust his hands forward, lips parted slightly as he reached toward his invisible partner with eyes lined in a fiery passion. Suddenly, the music stopped, leaving him breathless, arms still outstretched as his brain attempted to catch up to his body. 

“No, no… It’s all wrong, Yug! You’re thinking too much, man… Yah gotta loosen up those hips if you’re gonna convince the crowd that yah know how to do more than ballet!” Joey’s exasperated voice called out to him from the corner of the room, where he crouched next to an old, black stereo covered in scratches that belied the silver frame beneath. He was shaking his head, looking Yugi up and down with a slight frown tugging at the corner of his lips. 

Yugi sighed, finally bringing his hands to his sides, and sunk gracefully to the floor, effortlessly falling into the splits in an attempt to refocus. 

Many people incorrectly assumed that the splits were incredibly painful, but in fact, the concentration needed to perform them properly and the subsequently pleasant pressure they put on his muscles had resulted in Yugi growing accustomed to using them as a coping mechanism. Of course, he could remember vividly the first time he’d seen his ballet instructor perform one. At the time, he’d been certain he’d never be able to pull it off the same way she did. 

But now, 12 grueling years later, the splits had, oddly enough, grown to be a crucial part of his calming routine. A routine that he needed now more than ever as he struggled to come to grips with the shockingly different styles and forms of modern dance. He’d been studying ballet for so long now that it had become a critically core part of his life; it came as naturally to him as breathing and felt equally important. Heck, he’d even decided to attend Domino’s Performing Arts College, lovingly known as DPAC, specifically out of a desire to further his ballet dancing career. It was a widely recognized and respected college, and Yugi felt immensely lucky that he would be able to count himself among its graduates. 

In order to attain honors and distinguish himself from the rest of the crowd, which was a highly competitive one at DPAC, his instructor had urged him to begin formally studying modern dance- which included breakdance, much to his dismay. Begrudgingly, he’d agreed to the request, well aware that he was entering his Junior year and needed to take any and all steps necessary to get an edge over the difficult competition. Taking on a minor in modern dance could prove to be just what he needed. 

And yet, despite agreeing, he’d faced nothing but trials and tribulations thus far. Yugi was small and limber, both of which served him well in the world of ballet… But as it was, he simply lacked the raw intensity and dominant force required for his current projects, and no matter how much blood and sweat he devoted during his frequent practice sessions, he never seemed quite capable of projecting the ferocity he was aiming for. And, he hadn’t even come close to performing any of the more demanding breakdance moves… _ How on earth am I supposed to spin myself around like a top using just my hands on the hard floor?! _He moaned, resting his head in his hands. 

“Yug, look… I know you really want to practice until the sun goes down and all… But it might honestly be better for yah to take a break.” Joey unplugged the stereo, popped out the CD, and shuffled over to Yugi’s side, taking care not to slip in his socks, before claiming a spot next to him on the smooth, hardwood floor. “I honestly don’t know why this bothers yah so much… Seeing how amazing yah are at ballet already!”

Yugi grimaced, lifting his face and turning to face his friend. This was a conversation they’d had before, and he was desperate to somehow express his passion to Joey in a way that got through to him once and for all. “Joey… You know why. I want to dance for a living! Anyone can do ballet, but only a very talented few can do ballet _ and _ integrate the skills they’ve learned from modern dance,” he huffed in annoyance, leaning forward to touch his toes. As he pulled out of the stretch, he resituated himself and sat cross legged on the floor, staring glumly at the wall of mirrors before him as he allowed his usually perfect posture to slump. 

In it, he saw himself. A short, slender boy nearing 21 years of age with a shock of auburn hair upon his forehead that featured hints of gold in the fine strands and a mildly frustrated expression that seemed perpetually stuck to his face these days. 

Beside him sat Joey, his best friend and the only person committed enough to stay by his side as he struggled to learn the ins and outs of an entirely new form of dance. He was much taller than Yugi and had long, blonde hair, some of which swept across his forehead in what looked to be a purposeful style… But Yugi knew better. Joey had absolutely no control over his thick, wavy locks. 

Joey, who had been chewing on his lip in concentration, suddenly looked up toward the wall of mirrors and noticed that Yugi’s large, blue eyes were darkening in dejection; it was a face that he’d seen all too many times recently. “Yug, I know! Why don’t we go check out some of the breakdancers that hang out behind the art hall? I bet seeing people throw some sick dance moves first hand will totally inspire yah!” He pumped his fist enthusiastically, eyes sparkling as the scene played out in his mind theater… 

_ Yugi turned the corner with him, eyeing the ground gloomily as they approached the group of dancers. Without warning, a loud, upbeat hip-hop tune began to play from a nearby boombox, and one of them rushed forward, as if called upon by the music itself. Weakly, Yugi raised his head, face beginning to redden as he stared, open-mouthed at the powerful display. The moves blended together so beautifully and smoothly that one could hardly tell when one stopped and the next began. Suddenly, Yugi shed a single tear as he watched the dancer fall into a gracefully executed, perfectly balanced one-armed handstand, his body-weight expertly controlled. _

_ “You were right, Joey… Now... Now I’ll give up ballet and devote myself fully to the art of breakdance!” he declared solemnly, wiping the lone tear from the corner of his eye and sprinting delicately forward to join the group, tossing his schoolbag into the air as he- _

“JOEY! Are you even listening?! I’m trying to reply to your own idea, you thick-skulled…” Yugi muttered in mild annoyance, waving a hand back and forth in front of Joey, whose eyes had clouded over in the throes of his imagination. “And why the heck are you smiling like that?” Yugi questioned, suspicion coating his voice. He knew that Joey was likely getting carried away in that brain theater of his once again. 

“Oh, uhh… Sorry, Yug… I got distracted. But anyways! I do really think that it’s worth a shot! You know I have that night class on Tuesdays and Thursdays…? The Japanese pottery one?” 

“Yeah…” Yugi replied slowly, head tilting in confusion. He wasn’t quite sure what Joey was getting at. 

“Well, some of the best breakdancers on campus meet up around that building in the evening to break out their top-tier moves. Get it? ‘Break’!” Joey slapped his knee, laughing much harder than the mediocre pun deserved, before taking a deep breath to complete the thought. “I’ve heard that even Atem shows up there sometimes! You know, the senior guy that you follow religiously on Twitter? The one whose competition videos you’ve watched like a million t-”

“Ughhhh, I get it!” Yugi moaned, exasperatedly pulling his face into his hands in an attempt to hide the redness that he knew must have surfaced from the embarrassment. Technically, Joey was right. He did follow Atem on Twitter and he _ had _ seen all of his competition videos enough times to memorize them move-for-move. 

“Just because you’re right…” Yugi muttered, staring at himself in the mirror as he took deep breaths to re-orient himself. “I do all of that because he’s my _ rival _, Joey. Soon we’ll be entering the same competitions, now that I’m studying the art of breakdance as well. And we’re both upperclassmen.” 

“The_ art _ of breakdance,” Joey snickered. “The way that guy moves, I would say it’s less of an art and more like spirit possession! You don’t need to try and put yourself on his level, Yug. He’s been working his ass off for _ years _and you only just started! Besides, you’re already a pro at ballet. Surely that counts for something,” he added thoughtfully, punching Yugi lightly on the arm to drive home his point.

“You know that’s not how I think,” Yugi winced, quickly retaliating with a lightning-strike poke to Joey’s side. “Everyone is fair game, and it’s only natural that I compare myself to him. After all, he’s the best of the best. And if I want to be number one, I’ll have to challenge him eventually.” Yugi sighed, caught up in the memory of a recent video he’d watched… It was a major fall season dance competition that had been open not only to the student population of DPAC, but to every college in the nation. Only the top three students from each school in the featured dance categories had been invited. Being the indisputable number one amongst the breakdance crowd at DPAC had guaranteed Atem a spot. 

Atem had been… ethereal. His eyes appeared nearly crimson, thirsty for victory as the camera attempted to keep pace with his movements... He spun and kicked with merciless perfection, muscles visible as he tightly controlled his body weight for move-after-move of untouchable skill, seeming to defy gravity at times. Yugi gulped at the memory. To be fair, he often forgot that he and Atem attended the same school. Even though he was now practicing modern dance as well, if the rumors were to be believed, Atem had been placed in specialty classes designed specifically to hone his already impeccable abilities. 

Yugi had to admit that the chance to see him in person, no matter how slight, was extremely tantalizing. He stood briskly, and reached out a hand, silently offering to help pull Joey to his feet. He knew that his friend, whose speciality lay in pottery, was probably stiff from sitting on the hardwood floor for so long; there was no way he could match up to the dancer’s flexibility and physical endurance. 

“Thanks, Yugi!” Joey stood with a grunt, grimacing from the movement. “Man, that floor is so damn uncomfortable… I don’t know how you can sit there for so long and just hop right up like that!” 

Yugi merely chuckled in response, twirling gracefully toward the spot where he’d left his bag and throwing it over his shoulder dramatically. “Well, you know…” he laughed, striking a pose in the doorway as he hid his laugh behind a hand. 

“Yeah, yeah… All you damn dancin’ types. So graceful all the time,” he huffed, meeting Yugi at the doorway and slipping on his outdoor shoes. Yugi fetched his plain white outdoor shoes out of the bag he was carrying and slid his dark red indoor dance shoes in the place they had just occupied. 

“Well, we’d better head on over and see if we can get you a glimpse of that Atem... Might be just what you need, Yug! Time to ignite that competitive fire.” Joey reached a hand into the deep pockets of his faded denim jeans and fished out his cell phone, quickly tapping out a message before shoving it roughly into his jacket. 

“Maybe…” Yugi muttered darkly, barely audible over the sound of music coming from the floor below. This was a building reserved for practice sessions, and it had rooms for music, dance, and art students, which were separated by floor. Being a student in the dance department, he usually only visited the second floor. Although he did occasionally venture up to the third to meet Joey and provide moral support for one of his art assignments. 

Joey led the way out of the building, pausing momentarily to check his phone at the bottom of the stairs. “Hmm… I just got a text back from Tristan! He said he definitely saw people hangin’ out in the usual spot! But he didn’t stop to watch,” Joey trailed off, placing a finger thoughtfully on his chin before picking up the pace with a renewed vigor. 

“Joey! There’s no need to rush!” Yugi called out, shivering slightly as the cool outdoor air hit his face. He was still wearing the clothes he’d been practicing in- dark grey sweatpants that clung to his ankles, and a baggy, black T-shirt. It was an entirely nondescript ensemble, over which he’d thrown a thin, dark blue jacket with his name embossed on the back in gold lettering; it had been a congratulatory gift from the ballet studio he’d attended since childhood after his acceptance to DPAC. He often wore it to events so that curious onlookers would know who he was. Some self-advertising, if you will. 

He sprinted briefly to catch up to Joey, glaring up at him from beneath his long eyelashes as the brisk fall air seeped through the lining of his jacket. “Yah know, Yug… That baby face of yours makes it awful difficult to feel intimidated,” Joey laughed softly, looking down at him fondly before slowing his pace to match the shorter man’s stride. 

“Whatever! At least I don’t get sore from sitting on the floor for 5 minutes,” Yugi retorted swiftly, following it up with a dramatic hair flip. Joey was busy staring at his phone screen, and Yugi assumed that he was furiously typing out a response to Tristan- perhaps playfully berating him for not taking a closer look at the dance group. 

As they walked, Yugi took in the beautiful autumn scenery. DPAC had an undeniably dazzling campus, that had been constructed some 100 years prior by team of renowned architects. In the center was a large green space dotted with gnarled trees that students often used as a meet-up spot; sidewalks criss-crossed the space, creating convenient shortcuts to the main buildings on each side. When Yugi had an odd amount of free time in between classes, he would sometimes head there himself and relax on the grass with a good book. Or, though he hated to admit it, with headphones in and a video of one of Atem’s dance routines queued up. 

Luckily, at this time of day the campus was fairly empty. The fall weather had brought on gradually earlier sunsets, so most students had already retreated to their apartments or the central library. As a result, their walk to the art building went unimpeded.

There were four main buildings located on each side of the green, and three were utilized for specific fields of study: namely art, dance, and music. Of course, each category was wildly broad, but the range of classes on offer in each department was exceedingly impressive. The fourth and final building was the practice building, which is where Yugi spent the most significant chunk of his free time. There were various administrative buildings and a massive library located on the grounds as well, but this area was the heart of the campus- the place where students flocked to showcase their talents and re-energize.

Before he knew it, they’d arrive in front of the art building, a brick behemoth that looked shockingly normal considering the plethora of unique talents and invaluable artworks it housed. “All right, Yug. We’re almost there!” Joey’s enthusiasm was catching, and swept along, Yugi found his heartbeat picking up at the prospect of seeing Atem in the flesh. 

They half-jogged around the outside of the building, Yugi’s excitement amping up every step of the way. They turned a corner, and abruptly, were facing a fairly large gathering of students. All were dressed in the traditionally untraditional style of breakdancers, sporting anything and everything within the range of casual sneakers, jeans, T-shirts, sweaters, and jackets. 

And yet, one stood out like a sore thumb from the rest of the crowd. A beautiful peacock amidst a sea of pigeons. 

“Atem…” Yugi breathed, his heart nearly stilling entirely in shock. He hadn’t really expected him to be there, and now he felt like a fool for not coming to watch one of the infamous impromptu sessions sooner. He could hardly believe that he’d been studying modern dance for nearly 2 months now without making time for this. 

Atem was… Atem. He was the only one in the crowd wearing leather pants, which somehow, magically, never restricted the fluidity of his soaring movements, and his wavy hair was dyed a brilliant red, with intermittent black and gold highlights. His left ear was pierced, an all-black pyramid shaped earring dangling so low it nearly brushed against his shoulder. 

Yugi didn’t realize that he’d been completely entranced until Joey tapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Uhh… Yugi? You in there?” 

“Huh? Oh, uh… Yeah…” Yugi muttered, still staring at Atem in wonder. He was leaning against the building with his arms crossed, watching the current dancer with a carefully neutral expression. Belatedly, Yugi realized that there was indeed music playing… A simple, rhythmic background provided the breakdancers with the backdrop they needed to perform, and it seemed to be coming out of a speaker that was lying on the ground on the outskirts of the crowd. They were likely using a bluetooth connection to link it up to someone’s spotify. 

As his eyes wandered the crowd, Yugi realized that the dancers were split into two distinct groups, wordlessly alternating which sent out the next member. Suddenly, Atem burst forth, claiming the open spot with a sequence of perfectly executed, glorious spins, before morphing his move-set into a series of fancy footwork that was blindingly fast. Yugi’s eyes could hardly keep up with the speed and intensity, and he realized, all too late, that he’d slowly dragged himself to the fringe of the group in an effort to process what he was witnessing. 

“Yuuug! Psst!” Joey hissed from several feet behind, looking on frantically as his friend shuffled, completely entranced, toward the group of breakdancers. It was as if he’d been possessed. The students on either side of him, who were standing opposite Atem’s group, laughed and slapped him on the back encouragingly, ripping him from his trance in an instant. 

“Hey, you wanna spit some moves?” one boy asked with a chuckle, giving Yugi a once-over. Apparently, he seemed to pass muster, because as soon as Atem had vacated the space, Yugi was shoved forcefully into the ring. “Just do your thing, man!” he yelled, giving Yugi a thumbs up. 

_ Fine then! I can handle myself. It’s not like I haven’t performed before… _ he huffed heatedly to himself, yanking off his jacket and giving in to his body’s urge to settle down within the music. He made a distinct effort not to look at anyone in the crowd, knowing that to do so would be potentially fatal error. _ If I lock eyes with Atem, I’m through… _

Yugi took a deep breath, relaxing his muscles. And yet somehow, tensing simultaneously. One of the wondrous, performance heightening elements of breakdance that he was gradually learning to appreciate. 

Swiftly, he fell prey to the music, allowing his body to exist in time with the beat and giving the beat shape within himself. He knew that what he was doing wasn’t technically breakdance. He couldn’t swing his body around like a top in the same way that some of these men could, and he sure as hell couldn’t maneuver his feet as cleverly as Atem in an impromptu setting like this one. 

And yet, all around him, the crowd began to murmur appreciatively. Though fully absorbed in the rhythm of the music, he even heard one voice call out, “Damn, kid! Better slow down before you set the place on fire!” 

Inspired, Yugi ended his short routine by kicking his left leg up and clutching it flush against his face before promptly sinking into the splits, knowing that his flexibility would get a reaction. He certainly wasn’t wrong. The appreciative murmurs of before were now surrounding him on all sides, in increasing volume. 

He quickly leapt back up into a standing position, embarrassment at the realization of what he’d done hitting him like a wall of bricks. He’d… followed after Atem. And he’d just… done the splits in front of a crowd of breakdancing fanatics. His face was aflame, and he backed slowly away from the group he’d danced for. He knew that the guy who’d cheered him on, likely the leader, was speaking to him, but the rushing sound in his ears made it impossible to hear. 

As he backed slowly away from the scene of the crime, he bumped into something solid and warm, arms quickly reaching out from behind to steady him. 

Yugi squeaked, a high pitched sound he hadn’t known himself capable of producing, before twisting violently to face whoever he’d bumped into. _ Oh my god… _ He was staring up at the incredibly close, devastatingly handsome face of the one and only Atem. They were so close that Atem’s earring nearly brushed against his cheek. 

The star dancer was staring down at him in… curiosity…? Irritation? Surprise? Yugi couldn’t be sure. But he _ was _ certain that if he didn’t uproot himself soon he would end up horribly embarrassing himself yet again.

He stepped back hurriedly, putting some much-needed distance between the two of them. It looked as if Atem were about to speak, but Yugi interrupted him with a short bow and a rushed statement of apology. “I’m sorry! I didn’t pay attention to where I was going. I’ll… just be leaving now,” he said, the words tumbling out of his mouth with almost the same speed as Atem’s earlier footwork. 

Before anyone could try to stop him, he ran full steam ahead toward where Joey stood waiting anxiously by the art building, not sparing a single glance toward the crowd he’d just wowed. 

Unbeknownst to Yugi, Atem had calmly stooped down to scoop up the jacket he’d thrown onto the ground in the heat of the moment, studying the name embossed on the back intently before allowing his crimson eyes to follow the small dancer’s hastily retreating form in barely concealed interest. 

“Wow, Atem. That kid was something else!” a nearby student piped in, sighing in appreciation as he too watched Yugi round the corner. 

“Mhmm…” Atem replied, a baritone hum that settled in the air as he returned his focus to Yugi’s jacket. “Indeed he was.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm doing some research about the terminology of certain breakdancing moves right now... You can look forward to learning a bit about that in some upcoming chapters, but I promise not to get too heavy handed with the explanations. You and I are both here for one thing, after all... FLUFF! And don't worry, you'll get endless fluff this chapter. 
> 
> I'm writing Atem with just a hint of that season 0 playfulness/mischievousness, so I hope he doesn't seem out of character... I just wanted to experiment with having him show off his flirty side, heh. ;D 
> 
> Also, in my research, I discovered that the term "breakdancing" was actually created by the media... It was initially referred to as "b-boying" and sometimes as "breaking". Thus, guys that breakdance are often referred to as b-boys. Hopefully that isn't too confusing, because I'll be using some of this terminology throughout this fic. 
> 
> I am not ashamed to admit that this fic is going to be filled to the brim with fluff and tropes (with some smut sprinkled in). So if that's not your thing, then look elsewhere. For those of you that are all about that life, please enjoy chapter 2 of Dance Like Your Life Depends on It! 
> 
> PoP <3

Yugi hardly slept a wink. Thoughts of Atem’s face, too close for comfort and nearly burning him with their unwavering intensity, plagued his dreams, leaving him poorly rested for the long day of classes ahead. “And it’s only Thursday,” he grumbled lowly, grabbing his bag off the floor after somehow managing to survive yet another class. He wouldn’t even be able to see Joey today during his usual evening practice session, considering that his friend would be preoccupied with his two hour course on Japanese pottery. 

The course he’d just wrapped up was all about the long and complex history of ballet dancing, a topic he was fairly well versed in already, and one of his close friends, Tea, was in the class as well. _ It’s too bad she’s sick today. It would have been great to see her before... _ He grimaced, thoughts swiftly segueing into the next rapidly approaching torture session of the day. Unfortunately, his introductory break dancing seminar was up- during which he routinely embarrassed himself before 22 of his peers as he struggled to reach a level considered passable. 

The students around him eagerly flocked to the exit, creating the usual bottleneck, but excited tittering from ahead clued him in to the fact that something unusual was going on up ahead. His short stature made it impossible to see over the sea of heads, so he settled for shoving through the roadblock, knowing that he needed to keep moving in order to reach the seminar on time. 

Yugi felt his heart sink and knew that if he had a mirror, he’d see an incredibly pale, utterly shocked face staring back at him in horror. Atem was leaning against the wall, crimson eyes roving the crowd restlessly as if on the hunt, and without warning they zeroed in on Yugi, a small smile gracing the taller man’s handsome features as he pushed away from the wall.

“Yugi Mutou,” he stated simply, and Yugi couldn’t stop the blush from surfacing on his cheeks at the sound of his name leaving Atem’s lips. His voice was deeper and smoother than he’d anticipated, almost a caress in and of itself. 

_ No! This is no time to fall prey to his charms, Yugi! You’d better get out of here soon or you’ll miss your next class… _

“Uhhh… Uhh…” he stuttered, backing slowly toward the crowd in the hopes of being swallowed up into anonymity but realizing, all too late, that they’d created a wide berth for him upon realizing that he was the object of Atem’s unwavering attention. The excited whispers increased in volume as the widely recognized dancer stepped toward them, eyes never leaving Yugi’s face. If Yugi didn’t know any better, he’d assume that it was almost as if he meant to bend him to his will by the sheer intensity of his gaze alone. 

“Come with me.” Atem turned abruptly on his heel and walked a few paces before glancing back to ensure that Yugi was following. He narrowed his eyes at the sight that awaited. Yugi was completely immobile and practically glued to the floor from the strange turn of events, his mouth hanging open slightly as he struggled to formulate a response. Huffing mildly in annoyance, Atem strode briskly to Yugi’s side before grabbing his hand and tugging him along. 

As he struggled to keep up with the taller man’s relentless pace, Yugi stared dumbly at his left hand, which was currently enveloped in Atem’s warm, firm grip. _ Wow… I must be more tired than I thought. Since I’m clearly still dreaming. _

Suddenly, he realized that they were in the area of the building reserved for modern dance courses, which also had several practice rooms installed for convenience. Atem quickly opened a door before gently shoving Yugi inside. The bell signalling the start of the next class period echoed loudly in the hall behind them, and Yugi felt a mild panic welling up from within at the sound. “Wait! My class! I have to-!” 

Before he could finish the sentence, Atem clamped a hand over his mouth, leaning down to reach his eye level. He winked as he shook his index finger back and forth playfully, and, using his foot, he kicked the door shut behind them- never releasing Yugi from the bonds of his gaze.

Only after the door was safely shut did Atem remove his hand from Yugi’s mouth, which had the unfortunate side effect of showcasing the severe blush that had completely claimed his cheeks and the tip of his nose. “Wh-what’s going on?!” Yugi asked fiercely, voice laced in confusion and indignation, as he brought a hand up to his face in an attempt to conceal the worst of his embarrassment. He continued to back further away from Atem, who had dropped his bag carelessly to the floor. Yugi refused to let go of his, for fear that he’d need it as a shield...

“You wanna be a b-boy, don’t you? Well, I’m going to teach you,” Atem scoffed, as if it were completely obvious, before falling to his knees and rifling purposefully through his bag. Yugi exhaled quietly, the tension he didn’t realize he’d been holding in his shoulders finally easing as he was released from the confines of Atem’s compelling gaze.

Suddenly, the breakdancer pulled out a pair of sleek, all-black dance shoes from a brand that Yugi recognized as top-tier. _ Figures that he’d be rich too… _ “ **And** I’m going to make you mine,” he smirked, standing swiftly and stretching, his earring swaying from the movement and the muscles in his arms immediately stealing back Yugi’s attention. _ Why the heck is he wearing a tank top in fall?! _ he bemoaned inwardly, feeling his cheeks burn. _ And wait… what did he say?! _

“You’re going to… wait what?!” Yugi squeaked, just as his back hit the wall. Now there was nowhere to run, and Atem was giving him the same predatory look from before. The b-boy smirked devilishly, taking a few purposeful strides toward Yugi and slinking into a loose, casual stance as he continued his stretching routine. 

“You heard me. I’m going to make you mine, Yugi Mutou,” he whispered lowly with a well-timed wink, drawing closer and relishing in Yugi’s obviously flustered state. All the ballet dancer could do was stare timidly up at Atem as he drew near, knees going weak as his composure crumbled in the face of such overwhelming confidence. 

Atem brought his leisurely prowl to a close with a mere foot of distance between them, and he gave Yugi an obvious once over. Though Yugi didn’t know what criteria he was being judged against, he seemed to pass, as Atem smiled appreciatively, his previously calculating gaze beginning to smolder. “You’re joining my dance team for the spring competition, whether you like it or not,” he declared, placing a hand meaningfully on Yugi’s shoulder and locking him into place.

Yugi gulped as Atem began to close the distance between them, bringing flashbacks of his dreams from the night before rushing to the forefront of his mind. He swallowed slowly, throat dry as a bone, and slammed his eyelids shut, legs trembling slightly from their closeness. _ What on earth is going on?! And… what do I _ ** _want_ ** _ to be going on… _ he wailed inwardly, cursing his obvious reaction. He felt betrayed by his body’s instincts and simultaneously humiliated by the fact that he didn’t care as much as he should. 

Atem’s breath brushed gently and warmly against his ear, sending a shiver down Yugi’s spine as his eyelids fluttered open in surprise. Suddenly, a low whisper… “There’s no way in _ hell _ I’m letting Marik’s team have you…” 

“W-what…?” Yugi breathed, feeling light headed from Atem’s proximity and realizing with a start that at some point he had placed his hands on the b-boy’s chest. “AGH!” he shrieked, pushing Atem away with all of his might and whirling to face the wall. He hoped that being freed from Atem’s gaze, even for just a moment, would give him a much needed opportunity to piece himself back together and get the heck outta dodge. 

“I already spoke to the necessary authorities. I’ve been given permission to teach you. There’s no turning back now, Yugi.” He took several deep breaths, choosing to ignore Atem momentarily as he channeled thoughts about their rivalry to ground himself.

_ That’s right. We’re rivals now. But… There is that saying... ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer’… Maybe if we train together I can learn his secrets and get the upper hand when the time comes to face off! _Yugi grinned to the wall, feeling immensely proud of himself for piecing together a solution to the problem. He tried not to linger on the fact that a part of him was just as excited at the prospect of spending one-on-one time with Atem during many long, grueling practice sessions. He had to admit that he was absolutely blown away that overnight, Atem would have somehow received permission to tutor him… But considering how favored he was among the staff, it wasn’t all that unbelievable. 

Narrowing his eyes in resolve, he turned slowly to face Atem and crossed his arms- doing his best to look imposing. _ Not that it’s likely to work… _“So, you’re entering a team in the spring competition, and you want me to be a member… Why?” Yugi questioned intently, watching Atem closely for any sign of hesitancy. He was genuinely curious about why Atem, a star b-boy not only on campus but in the nation, would be interested in training someone like him, who had relatively low prospects in the world of modern dance. 

Atem only blinked, looking vaguely uninterested. Yugi just stared at him silently, waiting for a reply. Eventually, the b-boy spoke. “Are you being serious?” he asked in disbelief, quirking an eyebrow and crossing his arms to mirror Yugi’s pose. “I have to admit I’m surprised, Yugi.” Atem shook his head slowly, the disbelief turning to amusement as he watched the ballet dancer’s eyes widen. 

“Yugi… You’re a phenomenal dancer. One of the best I’ve ever laid eyes on. It’s obvious from the way you move that you’re one of us…” he paused, as if struggling to find the words he sought. He bit his lower lip in thought- a move that brought back Yugi’s blush with renewed vigor. Suddenly, Atem’s eyes lit up, and he put his hands on his hips before continuing with a fiery passion. “You dance like your life depends on it, Yugi. And _ that’s _the kind of person I want on my team this Spring.” 

Yugi stared open-mouthed at Atem in shock. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been that. Atem… the only and only Atem… included Yugi in the same category of talent as himself?! 

“I need you on my team, Yugi,” he insisted gently, the fire from before lying low for the moment. 

After a brief pause, during which the silence seemed to drag on for minutes, Yugi finally graced Atem with a reply. “Ok,” he stated simply, nodding in affirmation. He knew that this was an invaluable opportunity to learn from a pro, and besides… _ It’s not like I’m doing this just to spend time with Atem _. The blush on his cheeks deepened, and he turned his head to the side bashfully. 

“Mhmm, very good,” Atem purred, obvious pleasure dripping from his baritone voice. “I was hoping you’d be easy to convince. For your sake as well as mine.” 

Yugi shuddered softly, a delayed reaction from the sound of Atem’s contentment. _ If that’s what he sounds like when he’s pleased I don’t think I’ll have a problem motivating myself during practice… _ Hurriedly shaking himself out of his Atem-induced stupor, Yugi faced the b-boy head on. “When do we start?” 

“Now,” Atem replied smugly, nodding toward the CD player in the corner of the room. “I’ve brought along a CD with several backtracks, but first, we’d better get you stretched out...” Atem’s eyes glinted playfully in the light, and Yugi felt his heartbeat respond. “Wouldn’t want you to get hurt,” he added with a wink.

_ Is he… Is that… an innuendo?! _ Yugi moaned inwardly, immediately realizing the depth of the situation he’d gotten himself into. _ Fine then! I’ll fight back with some skills of my own... We’ll see how Atem does when I shove my flexibility right in his smug face! _Determined, Yugi began running through his usual series of pre-practice stretches, many of which deftly illustrated his body’s fine-tuned level of flexibility. The effect that years of rigorous ballet instruction had was apparent in his every move.

Yugi knew that he couldn’t match the confident, domineering personality that Atem possessed by mirroring the b-boy’s attitude play-for-play, but… he had his ways. He shifted, raising his left leg and placing it vertically against the wall, placing his hands flat against the mirror and smiling wanly at Atem from beneath his too-long eyelashes all the while. 

“Mhm, wouldn’t want to miss this step,” he murmured sweetly, watching with intense satisfaction as, for once, Atem’s face was the one to redden in response. Yugi noticed that Atem’s gaze was lingering just below his waist, and he felt heat creeping up his body- eventually reaching his neck and causing him to flush. _ Well, at least I know that I can affect him too… _

Soon, Yugi returned to a standby position, grinning as he watched Atem straighten while clearing his throat. _ And now, for the piece de resistance… _Sighing softly and tilting his head to the side artfully, Yugi fell once again into the splits, reaching his arms up into the air and closing his eyes gently as if making a plea to the heavens. He knew from past experience in front of the mirror that he looked damn good in this pose, and he was confident that Atem would appreciate it whether he wanted to or not. 

A harsh growl from nearby spooked him, and he opened his eyes immediately to find himself face-to-face with Atem. The b-boy had placed a knee on either side of Yugi’s right leg, which was still stretched out before him. 

“I can tell that someone likes to play around,” Atem breathed dangerously, narrowing his eyes as Yugi spluttered in response. He wanted to escape, but it would be nearly impossible for him to get out of the splits until Atem moved and allowed it. _ Very clever of him to use my own act against me… _

“Well, don’t worry, Yugi,” Atem added softly, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of Yugi’s auburn hair behind his ear and brushing his thumb lightly against the ballet dancer’s jawline. “There will be _ plenty _of time for play later. But now it’s time to get down to business.” Yugi felt his cheeks burn fiercely, and his whole body tingled in response to Atem’s feather-light touch. 

“Ah, but you can’t move, can you?” Atem laughed mischievously, every bit aware of the situation he’d put Yugi in. “Well, I suppose I’ll let you back up this time. But don’t forget, Yugi… Don’t forget who your new teacher is,” he added, voice suggestive. Yugi, who was beyond embarrassed, merely lowered his head and mumbled evasively, hoping beyond hope that Atem would, for the love of god, release him soon. Or that he would spontaneously combust and be put out of his misery. 

“Hmm… It seems that you might prove to be resistant... Perhaps I should make you address me as Mr. Sennen?” he drawled, suddenly tipping Yugi’s face up with his thumb and index finger- smirking at the red face that greeted him. 

“I-! You…” Yugi huffed angrily, twisting and turning within his limited scope of movement to release himself from Atem’s grip. 

“Relax, Yugi. I’m only kidding,” Atem responded gently, rolling his eyes and standing quickly. He extended a hand to the ballet dancer, perhaps as a peace offering for pushing his buttons so mercilessly. Yugi grumbled but took his hand nonetheless. The b-boy pulled the smaller man to his feet effortlessly, but he stumbled forward as the severity of his sleep deprivation hit him like a truck. 

Wincing as his head began to throb from the sudden motion, Yugi clenched his jaw shut to cut off a groan, hoping that Atem wouldn’t question him too deeply. He should have known better. 

Atem raised an eyebrow questioningly, clearly unconvinced by Yugi’s attempt to conceal his sudden discomfort. “Yugi… Are you alright?” He reached out a hand to steady the ballet dancer, who was swaying slightly on his feet and beginning to look pale. 

“I… I’m fine,” he mumbled, waving away Atem’s offer of assistance and grimacing as the headache kicked in. _ Crap. I wonder if I’m getting sick? It’s going around lately… Heck, even Tea is out with the flu. _

Without warning, Atem closed the distance between them, wrapping his left arm around Yugi’s swaying form and putting the back of his right hand on the other dancer’s forehead. “You’re burning up…” he whispered in shock, clearly taken aback by the sudden shift in Yugi’s well being. “Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling ill?” he pleaded, tugging the ballet dancer even closer and wrapping his other arm around him to support his fading strength. 

“Uhh… I…don’t feel… so well…” Yugi groaned, pushing his head against Atem’s shoulder in a desperate attempt to soothe the building pain in his temples. 

Atem stared down at Yugi with pursed lips, quickly processing the best course of action as he nervously watched the ballet dancer’s condition rapidly deteriorate. “Well, I can see that… I only hope you don’t get angry with me for handling this my way,” he muttered in exasperation, relaxing slightly when Yugi nuzzled up against his chest and moaned in pain. “Since you haven’t given me much of a choice.” 

Almost immediately, it became apparent that Yugi wasn’t able to support his body weight anymore, and he slumped weakly against Atem’s frame, pale faced and dripping in sweat.

Atem wasted no time in quickly scooping Yugi up into his arms. He was taken aback by how light the ballet dancer was. _ Luckily, class isn’t over yet, so if I take him there now, we probably won’t get spotted… _His brow furrowed in concentration as he calculated the odds, and he made his decision swiftly, eager to provide Yugi with the time and space to relax and recover. 

_ Don’t worry, little one. I promise I’ll take care of you. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I was going to have some dancing in this chapter, but... It just didn't happen. We have Yugi and Atem to blame for that one. Also, dear god the fluff and flirting was so over the top. I'll go hide in my corner now... XD
> 
> Please let me know if you enjoyed it! I, and by extension my fics, live off of comments and kudos. Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little jazz... and a little lavender.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so first off... I DID IT. I'm so sorry this chapter took this long to get up. I've been struggling to find the motivation to write, so my updates are not going to be very reliable for the time being. 
> 
> That being said, I'm a bit nervous about this chapter. I'm not quite sure I like the way it turned out, but I just... NEEDED to get something out there. I feel like in the process this has helped give me some ideas for the upcoming chapters, and I hope that you all can enjoy it despite my lack of confidence. XD I also didn't really proofread this, so I apologize for any errors... 
> 
> Let me know what you think, and as always, thank you for your support! Without further ado, please enjoy chapter 3 of Dance Like Your Life Depends on It! 
> 
> PoP

Yugi awoke to the soft, velvety sound of an unfamiliar jazz melody and a wispy cloud of lavender vapor gently permeating the surrounding air. He felt immensely groggy, struggling to keep his eyes open as he adjusted to muted light that only faintly illuminated his unknown surroundings. His throat was as dry as a desert, and he winced in discomfort when he swallowed. _ At least there’s a humidifier on nearby… _

He was resting atop a sleek, all-black sofa, and a fluffy checkered blanket had been draped over him. Shivering as cold tremors racked his body, he attempted to recall any tidbit of information that might help him determine how he’d ended up here. Wherever ‘here’ was… 

A cursory glance about the room was more than enough to know that he’d somehow wound up in someone else’s living quarters. He was currently lying atop a comfortable sofa in a living room of sorts, but the kitchen was easily visible, as there was no wall to separate the two spaces._ It’s a pretty modern layout… And the decor certainly matches the theme. _

The artwork adorning the walls seemed to lack any sort of distinguishable pattern yet simultaneously melded perfectly into the modern aesthetic. One piece was an old-school black and white photograph of the Egyptian pyramids and another was an incredibly colorful piece that was too abstract for Yugi’s taste. If he concentrated, it felt like he could almost make out a couple of dancers swaying within the disorienting slew of shapes, but he couldn’t be sure… 

And, situated on the low, glass table in front of the sofa was a fancy looking humidifier, a sleek Bose brand CD player, and a series of books and magazines strewn haphazardly atop the crystal-clear surface. Each and every one looked to be about some form of dancing, and with a small gasp that quickly morphed into a cough thanks to his dry throat, Yugi realized that one was a magazine cover he’d been asked to pose for months ago. He and several other promising ballet dancers at DPAC had been scouted for a casual interview hosted by DPAC’s campus magazine about what it was like to study ballet at the prestigious college. He had been the only boy chosen. 

There was one other cover that caught his eye, and although he couldn’t see the entirety, he could make out enough to tell that it was a recent copy of the most widely circulated modern dance magazine in the nation. It just so happened to feature Atem front and center, as he had won first place in the breakdancing category at the prestigious collegiate dance competition held in the fall with a performance that had been hailed as innovative- thanks to an unusual move he’d debuted in the final round. Yugi subscribed to the magazine and had spent an embarrassingly long time staring at Atem, who was holding up his trophy triumphantly, eyes blazing in the moments immediately following the announcement of his victory. 

_ This is all too weird… Where am I? How on earth did I get here? _Yugi’s thoughts were a muddled mess. Chills wracked his body once again, and he grimaced in pain from the dull headache that was keeping him company, feeling frustrated by his brain’s slow processing speed. 

“Yugi,” a familiar, baritone voice called out softly from a nearby doorway. He had noticed the doorway before, but he wasn’t sure where it led and had promptly ignored it in favor of assessing the nearby artwork. 

Suddenly feeling incredibly vulnerable, he shifted beneath the covers, attempting to right himself and show some sign of life to ward off any potential threats. “Where am I?” he mumbled weakly, realizing with a start that his voice had come out as a suspiciously frog-sounding croak. _ I’d be able to fool someone with this voice for sure, _ he thought glumly, frowning to himself as he turned his head to face the oncoming voice. The movement took a surprising amount of energy, and suddenly, it felt like everything around him was spinning- the abstract painting on the wall looking increasingly muddled by the second. 

An exasperated sigh from his right and suddenly, Atem was sliding smoothly onto the sofa next to him, wrapping his left arm around the smaller boy and holding a glass of water to his dry lips. “I thought this might happen,” he muttered, watching anxiously as Yugi raised a hand to the glass, feebly attempting to take it from him. “Just let me hold it, Yugi. You’ll spill water all over yourself,” he sighed again, strengthening his grip on the glass and tilting it slightly when it seemed like Yugi was willing to comply. 

He spluttered a bit as the water made contact with his parched throat, but he managed to swallow without too much trouble. He looked up at Atem out of the corner of his eye, memories of their impromptu practice session flooding his mind. _ Although I guess it wasn’t much of a ‘practice session’ in the end, since I freaking passed out. UGH. Way to go, Yugi. Now you look like an absolute baby. _

The entire situation made him indescribably embarrassed, but he knew that the sickness was draining him of any and all energy to escape his fate. He had to admit that the likelihood of being able to stand up, collect his things, and somehow make his way back home when even attempting to sit up sent him reeling, was incredibly low. For the time being, it looked like he was just going to have to survive in Atem’s apartment. _ Ugh… in Atem’s freaking apartment… God, someone please put me out of my misery. _

Yugi groaned as yet another wave of chills hit, and he clutched the fluffy blanket even more tightly against his chest, resisting the urge to crawl beneath it and never re-emerge. He would be content with such a fate. _ In fact, I can practically see the headlines now. ‘Talented ballet dancer somehow makes it inside his idol/rival’s apartment, only to die on the sofa from a measly cold’ _. 

“Atem,” he coughed, realizing with a start how sickly he sounded. His voice sounded just as fragile as he felt, and he noticed that the b-boy’s grip on his shoulder had tightened in response. _ Great, my first time calling him by name, and it sounds like I’m about to collapse _. He cleared his throat and continued, attempting to instil some semblance of confidence to his voice. “I… Uh. If it’s not too much trouble, I need some food, I think.” He pulled the blanket up and over his mouth in an attempt to hide his nervousness. 

Atem released Yugi’s shoulder, sliding smoothly off the sofa and onto his knees. The new position meant that Yugi couldn’t avoid eye contact anymore, much to his dismay. “Of course. But I’m only going to give you some crackers for now.” Atem looked up at him with a stern, yet calm, expression. It was a combination that effectively managed to quell Yugi’s mounting nerves, and he nodded in response as he lowered the blanket to settle around his shoulders. “After all, I don’t want you throwing up all over my sofa,” he added with a wink, patting Yugi’s knee before standing up.

Huffing slightly in response to the jab, he watched as Atem strode purposefully toward the kitchen, grabbing a bowl off the countertop and reaching into a cabinet. Yugi couldn’t see the brand from his perch on the sofa, but he was hoping for some Saltines- thanks to many childhood memories of nibbling on them while stuck at home with the flu. 

“Yugi, is there anything you’re allergic to...? Pets, food, or otherwise?” Atem called out as he pulled open the door to the fridge. 

“Nope. I guess I have some mild hay fever in the spring, but that’s about it,” Yugi replied, grabbing one of the pillows on the far end of the sofa and nuzzling his face against the cool satin of the material. It’s soft, chill cover was incredibly comforting and added to the already soothing environment of the living room. 

“Then you won’t mind if I let my cat out? On your right...” Yugi looked up from the pillow just as Atem carefully placed a plastic bowl of crackers next to him on the sofa. Not just any crackers… Saltines! “You don’t have to lie for my sake, though. If it will bother you, I’d appreciate your honesty.” 

Yugi had to admit that he was a bit taken aback. For some reason, he hadn’t pegged Atem as the cat-loving type… But it certainly worked in his favor, as he was a massive fan of felines and had always wanted one of his own; unfortunately, his mother was allergic and the apartment he now shared with Joey and Tristan didn’t allow any pets aside from fish. 

“Actually, I really like cats. And I’ve never had one of my own, so it’d be nice…” he mumbled shyly, tugging at the fabric of the satiny pillow and avoiding Atem’s eyes. 

The b-boy chuckled in response. “You don’t have to be so nervous, Yugi. But I’m glad to hear it. His name is Kuriboh, but I usually call him Riboh.” Yugi felt like he’d heard that name somewhere before, but he couldn’t quite place it. 

“Just a heads up, he’s a Maine Coon, so don’t be too surprised when you see how big he is. He’s as gentle as they come, though. Just like me” Atem added with a smirk, turning promptly to the doorway he’d entered through and retreating momentarily into a world outside Yugi’s knowledge. He pushed his face into the cool fabric of the pillow, pretending that he was nuzzling up against a cloud. 

_ I wonder how big a Maine Coon is… And how soft his fur will be _, Yugi mused, smiling into the fabric as muted sounds from the humidifier continued in the background, lavender vapor brushing gently against the outer edges of his dulled senses and faint jazz music wafting lazily throughout the room.

Suddenly, Yugi heard a quiet _ meow _ and felt a low purr as a sizable weight climbed atop the sofa next to him. Shocked, he hurriedly dropped the pillow and looked to his side, jaw dropping as he laid eyes on the biggest, fluffiest cat he’d ever seen. “Quite the looker, isn’t he?” Atem laughed, taking a seat in the only other chair in the living room, which was located on the left side of the glass table but still close enough to the sofa to touch. _ Not that I’m planning to reach over there or anything… _

“Yeah…” Yugi tentatively reached out a trembling hand, and when Riboh made no move to stop him, he let it rest atop the cat’s unbelievably fluffy fur, quickly burying his fingertips among the fine, brown strands. “Wow, he’s so soft,” he mumbled, leisurely petting along the seemingly endless expanse of the massive cat’s back and inciting another low purr. 

“If only you’d touch _ me _ with such nervous excitement. I have half a mind to feel jealous,” Atem chuckled. Yugi’s face snapped up instantly at the teasing tone, his cheeks reddening for a reason distinctly separate from the fever racking his body. 

“You’re such a tease,” he grumbled, pouting as he eyed the smirk plastering Atem’s handsome face. The b-boy clearly enjoyed toying with him, and Yugi didn’t know what to do in the face of such shameless flirting. Rather than ponder the issue, he returned his attention to Riboh, threading his fingers through the fine fur once more and wincing minutely as another wave of chills ripped through him. 

The jazz melody emanating from the nearby stereo suddenly shifted in tone, sinking into a sultry sax solo- the musician swooping masterfully to claim alto notes that evoked rich reverberations within the deepest parts of the listener. A graceful hawk with its eyes on the prize.

“I’m not teasing, Yugi.” Atem’s eyes burned, seeming to create pools of crimson light distinct from the lamp that watched over them. All at once, Yugi felt_ very _ hot. Whether it be from the intense scrutiny of Atem’s gaze or the relentless onslaught of his fever, he couldn’t be sure. Everything was still, apart from the swirling lavender vapor, neither quite willing to lose what had morphed into an unspoken staring contest. 

Unable to take the heat any longer, Yugi laughed nervously to break the tension and shoved the checkered blanket away; it had begun to feel more like a trap than a comfort. “So… how did I end up here? We were in the dance hall…” 

“Oh, that. I carried you,” Atem replied with a dismissive wave of his hand, as if it were the simplest, most obvious truth in the world. 

“You… you did WHAT?” Yugi’s mind raced, losing itself in an unintelligible rabbit hole of what-ifs- “_ What if someone spotted us?!” _ being chief among them _ . _He wasn’t exactly the most secretive type, but the thought of a random passerby stumbling across him in Atem’s arms invoked a response that he wasn’t quite sure how to describe. It wasn’t purely embarrassment, but it wasn’t exactly excitement either… 

“Don’t worry. Most people were in class, and I avoided the busiest paths. I doubt anyone spotted us. Not that I would mind…” he trailed off, tilting his head to the side in contemplation. 

Yugi’s mouth dropped in surprise. _ I just… can’t tell with this guy. He’s a constant tease, but I kinda wonder if he’s being serious sometimes… _ He was a puzzle. A puzzle that Yugi felt like he was trying to put together without having a picture on the box to refer to. Before he could get too lost in such thoughts, he slapped his mouth shut and shook his head gently, wary not to wake the beast that was his pounding headache with too much rapid movement. 

“Yugi…” Atem’s voice sounded lower than usual, not that unlike the sensuous tone he’d adopted in the practice room as he’d teased the ballet dancer about calling him Mister Sennen... Slowly, tentatively, he reached out a tanned arm toward the sofa, the heat of his eyes scorching compared to the cool satin of the pillow Yugi clutched to his chest. The jazz CD had drawn to a close, leaving a heavy silence to permeate the room in its wake. Not even the quiet buzzing of the humidifier could be heard over the absolute, pressing weight of the unspoken…

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, giving Riboh cause to lift his head lazily in response. Whatever moment they’d shared retreated to the darkest corners of existence, lying in wait for the next opportunity to wriggle back into the open air. Yugi knew that the tension between them was not so easily resolved… The look in Atem’s eyes had been all the proof he needed to know that whatever this _ thing _ was he’d felt, it had been entirely mutual. 

The doorbell had jolted Atem to his feet, and he forced a small smile onto his face as he extended a hand to help Yugi to his feet. “That’ll be your friend… I took the liberty of calling him once I’d gotten you settled.” 

With just the slightest hint of trepidation evident in his trembling fingers, he reached out for the b-boy’s hand, feeling its warmth seep deeply into him- far more than just surface level. Though not much time had passed, this handhold felt very different than when Atem had led him to the practice room. Perhaps it was just the fact that they were now inside his apartment with his cat sprawled out in the immediate vicinity; it felt as if one of the barriers separating them had come crashing down.

“How did you get his number?” Yugi mumbled, eyebrows scrunching up in confusion as he tried to recall how it might have landed in Atem’s possession. They’d barely had time to talk before he’d unceremoniously passed out… 

“That’s a story for another time, little one. For now, it’s time to get you home. Your things are already by the door. Here...” Atem wrapped a steady arm around Yugi’s waist and pulled him flush against his body, gently tugging him along as he began the steady trek to the door. 

“Little one… I-I’m not that little!” He flushed, stumbling a bit as the door came into view around a corner. Though he was loathe to admit it, the pet name, if that’s what it even was, sparked a heady pleasure that coiled its way through his chest, landing in the pit of his stomach and sending tendrils of soothing warmth throughout his entire body. 

“Mhmm… Well, you’re free to argue your case once you’ve recovered. I’ll take some 1 on 1 debate time with you any day, Yugi.” 

He merely spluttered in response, trying halfheartedly to put some distance between them and yelping in surprise when Atem used his free hand to gently pinch his cheek, laughing all the while. Atem’s carefree laugh fanned the embers within him, the heat from before pulsing through his system with a renewed vigor. 

As soon as they’d reached the door, Atem released him, and Yugi couldn’t help but frown at the sudden feeling of loss. After reaching down to grab Yugi’s backpack, he pulled the door open, revealing an anxious, toe-tapping Joey on the other side. As soon as his eyes landed on Yugi’s huddled form, the nervous tic stopped, and it was obvious how relieved he was to see his friend in one piece. 

“Yug! I was so worried about yah! But you know how that professor is… It was impossible to get outta class on such late notice, so I-”

“Joey. Don’t worry about it,” he croaked in response, knowing that his friend would ramble without end if no one stepped in to halt him in his tracks. When he felt guilty, even if there was absolutely no reason to, talking endlessly was a common side effect. Yugi made his way outside the apartment, leaning against Joey’s side to stave off the tiredness that threatened to overwhelm him. It was pitch black outside, save for sporadic lamplight dotting the street behind him. 

It was strange, looking at Atem through the doorway… The shadows he and Joey cast framing him largely in shadow.

“Here’s his bag.” Atem passed the backpack to Joey, before turning the full intensity of his gaze on the ballet dancer. He smiled, though it looked bittersweet. “Get well soon, Yugi. I’ll be waiting for you.” Such a simple sentiment, and yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Atem was referring to a whole lot more than dance practice. 

The door closed slowly before them, leaving only the ghost of Atem’s smile and the whisper of his words on the faint fall wind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secret dance meet-ups, spaghetti, and... Kuriboh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! It's me again! Consider this a bit of a holiday present from me to you. I really, truly could NOT do any of this without the support I receive from those of you that read, comment, and enjoy my writing. Seriously, thank you SO much!
> 
> I have a bit of an announcement to make. In order to complete this fic in reasonable time (seeing as I have a fair bit of it story boarded already), I have decided to put The Tempest on hiatus for now. I have every intention of returning to it, but my current schedule and lifestyle only allow me to focus on this work for now. I'm very sorry to those of you that enjoy both. After re-organizing The Tempest and dealing with some much-needed story structuring, I hope to return to it with renewed sense of purpose. 
> 
> This time of year is a bit sad for me, as I live and work very fay away from my friends and family. Writing this story and reaching out to you all is one way that I manage to cope. No matter where you are in the world, I hope that you can find a moment of peace in this story. 
> 
> Thank you.  
PoP

The wind howled, whistling through the narrow concrete passageway as he slunk through the darkness, seeking his usual safe haven. As he drew near, faint sounds of bass-heavy, rhythmic tunes drifted ever closer, the very air surrounding him plunging into chaos as powerful gusts battled with the relentless musical onslaught. 

Rounding a corner, he felt some of the tension he’d been holding melt away. The space was open and obstacle free, but fairly constrictive when crowded with eager b-boys and b-girls. It was a concrete lined tunnel that ran beneath a busy road- rumbles from the traffic overhead blending beautifully into the booming tunes they gravitated toward. To top it all off, the walls were covered in a myriad of spray-paint murals. _ Although some show more expertise than others_, Atem thought to himself with a wry smile as his attention landed on a particularly crude rendition of male genitalia. 

“Atem!” Huffing and coated in a fine sheen of sweat despite the cool fall temperatures, a tall, slender man with his dark hair tied up in simple ponytail jogged over to him, cutting through the small crowd. “I thought you’d never show!” he laughed, giving him a playful smack on the shoulder as he braced himself against the concrete, taking a moment to catch his breath.

“It’s only been a couple days, Duke… Getting a little too attached, aren’t we?” Atem smirked, quickly freeing his arms from the sleeves of his denim jacket and tossing it haphazardly toward the wall where it landed soundlessly alongside countless others. It had been over a week since he’d stopped by this particular haunt, and he knew that Duke was getting antsy. As co-captain of the dance team they were putting together for the spring, he was eager to finalize their ranks and get a move on with setting up a rigorous training schedule. It was of the utmost importance that they make sure every member of the group was up to snuff, and these night-time gatherings were just one way of many to scope out the competition. 

Atem turned his attention to the crowd, all of whom were crouching and shouting various words of encouragement to the dancer in the middle. _ Well, some are words of encouragement and some are whoops of encouragement… _

Lighting in the space was limited, considering that the bulk of it emanated from phone screens held aloft by slightly trembling hands. About a year ago the regulars had pitched in to buy a small, battery-powered lamp, but it was currently in need of a new power source; luckily, he’d remembered to bring some spare batteries from home today. 

He stalked closer to the onlookers, frowning slightly when he realized that the b-boy they were all so fixated on was none other than his archrival, Marik Ishtar. He’d come in second at the most recent national competition, and as much as Atem hated to admit it, he had a certain flair for the fantastic. A flair that rivalled his own and put constant pressure on him to develop entirely new routines, lest he lose his identity as not only a ‘b-boy’, but a respected architect of entirely original moves and stylistic fusions. He simply couldn’t let Marik overtake him… _ Not when I’ve come so far. _

Marik’s ensemble mirrored his style: flashy, showy, and altogether insufferable. Whereas he preferred sleek, minimalist clothing that wouldn’t distract from the fluidity and power of his dancing, Marik seemed to prefer the exact opposite. Atem remembered that his outfit at the previous competition had been black with searing trails of neon-pink slashing artistically across the otherwise simple surface. Not to mention that he’d opted for a halter top. 

Gritting his teeth and grumbling under his breath, he leaned against the wall alongside his friend, narrowing his eyes as he carefully tracked every move the bronze-skinned, light-haired dynamo executed. He was undeniably talented, though Atem was certain that adding the skills of a special someone to his team would give them the upper hand in the spring… 

“Damn, that was a perfect freeze…” Duke muttered, his voice nearly lost to the wind, music, and rumbling that consumed the space. If they hadn’t been standing so close he certainly would have missed it. Out of the corner of his eye, Atem could see that Duke was nervously twirling a loose strand of his hair repeatedly, a sign that he was anxious.

_ Well, either way, I’m inclined to agree with him. It’s obvious he’s worked to improve the strength and balance in his left arm to end on a freeze like that... It won’t go unnoticed by the judges. _

“Don’t worry so much, Duke. It’s not good for your health,” he chuckled, patting the taller man’s shoulder consolingly before pushing off the wall and striding toward the crowd, which was heaving in excitement following Marik’s display- a turbulent sea, its waters roiling as if aware that a dangerous storm approached. He could nearly feel the electric current of their hysteria ricocheting about the confines of the room, an image that was perhaps exacerbated by the dizzying splotches of phone lights dotting his peripheral vision.

Although, knowing that this was likely the first time Marik had debuted this particular move made Atem feel slightly more at ease. It was important to stay ever vigilant about a rival’s progress, after all. _ Especially in the ever-fluctuating, seemingly nebulous world of breakdance _, he thought grimly to himself as his eyes roved the narrow concrete space, suddenly feeling the weight of its thick, impenetrable walls pressing down upon him in a way he’d never before imagined. It wasn’t like him to fall prey to nervousness, but something about this year felt… different. Perhaps it was the fact that he was now a senior and wanted to leave an indelible mark on the history of dance development at DPAC.

Suddenly, Marik’s eyes met his, the light-haired b-boy’s smirk only strengthening in response to Atem’s somewhat dazed expression. “Ahhh, Atem! I was beginning to wonder if you’d grown afraid to show your face here…” he purred, stalking toward him in a way not unlike that of a lioness on the hunt. But Atem was used to Marik’s games, and his usual intimidation tactics slid off him like raindrops off an umbrella. Shaking himself from his stupor, he prowled toward his rival with just as much finesse. 

“Marik. It’s been awhile, although, not quite long enough in my book,” he replied smoothly, ignoring Marik’s rage-filled glare and pushing effortlessly through the crowd. _ Which parted just as easily for me _ , he thought smugly. _ Being number 2 has nothing on being the champion _. 

He was every bit aware that he was causing quite a stir by strolling past Marik as if he were nothing more than one of the pebbles dotting the concrete floor, but he didn’t care. “Hook me up with a backtrack. I don’t care which one.” It was a command, and he knew that it would be obeyed. He stretched in place, thoroughly enjoying his return to the center of a crowd, where he felt most at ease. 

“Acting all high and mighty, as per usual…” Marik sneered, never once allowing his indigo eyes to leave Atem’s back. “I suppose now that you’ve managed to meet up with little Yugi you’re feeling invincible…?” 

At the mention of Yugi’s name, Atem turned on his heel, suddenly returning the heat of Marik’s gaze tenfold. “Don’t you dare bring him into this. This is between you and me.” 

“As if!” Marik snorted, crossing his arms. “You’re the one who decided to bring him into ‘_this _’,” he growled, adding air quotes for emphasis. “And now, whether you like it or not, Atem… He’s fair game. And don’t think I won’t find him. I’ll tell him the truth about you. I know you’re too afraid to tell him yourself. And when I do-”

“Shut up, Marik.” The air in the enclosed space seemed to have gone up 10 degrees from the heat of their shouted exchange, and Atem had never felt more ready to pour every ounce of his desired response into his art. Words simply couldn’t do it justice. “Crazy Lately. Break Science,” he barked out over the fading din of the trail end of Marik’s chosen track, knowing that whoever was manning the Spotify playlist would hook him up. And quickly too, if they knew what was good for them. 

“But! Atem! You shouldn’t be showing everyone something so-”

“Quiet, Duke,” he interrupted, turning the intensity of his crimson-eyed glare briefly to his friend._ Just long enough to let him know better than to stop me… This is something I have to do. _

Everything was a game of dominance… And this was a game that he was particularly well suited for. He wouldn’t let Marik… or anybody else, for that matter… bully and manipulate his Yugi. Eyes narrowed in concentration, he burst forth, starting the sequence that he knew would shut Marik up instantly: A perfect replica of the routine Marik had used in the fall, danced to over a song he knew Marik hated… the song that he’d used to win first at the very same competition. 

* * *

Yugi moaned as the door to his room burst open, loud footsteps approaching his bedside an indication that Joey had come to rouse him. Thanks to the sunlight streaming in through the window to his left he was already awake, but he had absolutely no desire to get up. His fever had faded, and he was feeling much better after resting up at home for a couple of days, but the real world still seemed a scary place in comparison to the comfort of his cozy bed. 

“Yug, you’ve been lying around for long enough! We’ve got classes tomorrow, and you’ve barely moved the entire weekend… And I _ know _you’re better.” 

“ Ughh, yeah yeah… I just don’t want to get up,” he mumbled, tossing an arm over his eyes to block out the light and feigning ignorance to Joey’s frustrated scowl. Suddenly, the covers he’d been hiding beneath were ripped away, leaving him exposed to the elements. _ Well, I say elements, but the temperature is actually pretty nice… Maybe Joey is right that I’m a bit of a drama queen sometimes. Not that I’ll ever admit that. _As if to prove his point, he whimpered just a bit in response, pouting up at Joey’s stony expression.

Joey crossed his arms, looking down at Yugi with surprising seriousness. He felt bad for worrying him so much that he’d been motivated to come into his room and ensure that he was still alive and functioning. Especially considering that there was a bit of an unspoken agreement between the three roomies not to broach each other’s private rooms unless granted permission.

“All riiiight, I’m sorry. I’m moving now!” He pulled himself into an upright position, huffing indignantly as he reached for his phone on the bedside table. A quick click to activate the screen and then… “What?! It’s already 4PM?! Ughh my sleep schedule is so fucked up now,” he moaned, dropping the phone onto his lap and covering his face with his hands in unmasked exasperation. 

“You’ll survive. I started dinner, and I’ll share with yah tonight. So long as you give me some of the juicy deets about whatever is going on between you and this ‘Atem’ guy,” he grinned, backing slowly toward the doorway and laughing at the blush that sprung up on Yugi’s cheeks in response. 

“I won’t fall for your bribery! Hmph. Besides, there’s nothing to tell,” he scoffed, hopping out of bed and walking over to his drawer in search of some comfy clothes to change into. _ Wearing PJs for the remainder of the day is just going to make it harder to sleep later. And I mean, it’s not like I’m lying. There’s nothing of particular interest to tell him. I bet Atem was more annoyed than anything else that he got stuck dealing with my sick self… _

“Well, I don’t know about_ that _, Yug. I mean, he even left you a little memo!” Yugi’s eyes snapped up immediately, meeting Joey’s confident smirk as he leaned against the doorway waving a small piece of folded red paper. He knew full well that the blatant taunt would incite Yugi to follow him, and he wasn’t wrong. 

“How on earth did you get that?!” His mind struggled to fill in the gaps in his memory, attempting to piece together how Joey would have come into possession of such a thing. He’d been so sickly and tired when Joey came to pick him up that he honestly couldn’t say for certain that Atem hadn’t taken the opportunity to slip the note to his friend. And yet, he felt like that couldn’t be right… 

Joey meandered toward the kitchen, leaving Yugi behind to frantically change into some clothes to catch up. “Well, when you asked me to fetch your phone for you, I saw it tucked into the case. Not a bad idea. I wonder what it saaaays…” he called out in a sing-song voice, spurring Yugi on to change at lightning speed. 

He rushed out the door, quickly flitting over to Joey’s side as he placed a couple plates, laden with his specialty, mouth-wateringly delicious spaghetti and meatballs, atop their simple, spindly-legged table. Apparently the sauce was a family recipe... And under normal circumstances, Yugi would be incredibly excited to inhale some of Joey’s cooking, but now, not even the promise of a tasty meal could pull Yugi out of his anxiousness, his eyes flitting to and fro in an effort to track down the little red slip of paper. 

“I put it at your spot, Yug. Geez. Calm down!” Joey rolled his eyes, returning to the kitchen for some silverware before taking a seat across from Yugi at the small table, scootching the mini vase in the center to the side so it wouldn’t get in the way of their conversation. “The way you’re acting, you’d think I was about to rip it to shreds or throw it in the spaghetti or somethin’!” he laughed sheepishly, twirling his fork to nab as many noodles as possible. He paused mid-twirl and looked up at Yugi. “But really… what does it say?” he whispered conspiratorially, leaning across the table as his friend gently unfolded the memo. 

Yugi gulped, feeling anticipation curl uncomfortably in his gut at the thrill of discovering what Atem had deemed so important that it couldn’t wait till they next met in person. As he undid the final fold, his breath hitched, the elegant script that awaited surprising him in its exquisite perfection, every letter a vine winding its way delicately along the surface of the paper. His eyes swept along the length of the parchment, in an action that could only be described as ‘absorbing’. It wasn’t simply reading. 

_ Yugi, I hope that by the time you’re reading this you’re feeling better. I apologize for being unable to offer you further assistance, but I promise to make it up to you when next we meet. I will be meeting with other members of our dance team this weekend to begin finalizing a practice schedule, and it will be important that we’re able to communicate. As such, I’ve written my phone number at the bottom of this memo. Please give me a call once you’re able. _

_ See you soon, _

_ Atem _

Yugi blushed, gripping the paper tightly, as if worried that it might soon disintegrate. Joey peered over the short distance between them, eyes bulging in shock when he saw the elegant script. 

“Damn, Yug. Are you sure this guy isn’t like… a vampire or something?! He writes like somebody from the 17th century!” Yugi merely stared at the memo, re-reading it several times before carefully folding it back along the pre-existing creases. Joey waved a hand in front of his friend, trying to rouse him from his stupor. 

“Sorry… what?” Yugi blushed, at a complete loss as to what Joey had said. His mind was wandering the halls of the dance building, pirouetting with ease about the familiar structure as every practice room he passed gave him a brief, delicious glimpse of Atem’s previous routines. 

Joey merely sighed, shoveling some spaghetti in his mouth and shaking his head. “You’re in so deep, Yug,” 

“Sorry, Joey… I can’t really focus right now. Can you cover this just for a moment? I need to make a phone call. As if dazed, Yugi meandered back to his bedroom, quietly shutting the door and ripping his phone from his pocket. He quickly entered Atem’s number into his contacts, fighting the urge to give him some sort of nickname._ I mean, it’s not like it would hurt… He’s never going to know about it. AHA! He has that picture of the pyramids in his room, and his family has roots in Egypt… Pharoah! _Grinning excitedly, he tapped the word out onto the contact info screen, feeling pleased that he now had a little secret to keep from Atem. 

Glancing at the time on his phone screen, he deemed it appropriate to go ahead and give the b-boy a call. He didn’t know when Atem ate dinner, but there was a good chance he’d catch him beforehand if he called now. 

As the dial tone rang out once… twice… Yugi felt his heart rate quicken in response. He hadn’t been nervous before, but the longer it took for Atem to pick up, the more fidgety he became. This fingers on his left hand played with belt loops on his pants, looking for ways to ground himself as the sound continued. 

And then suddenly… “Hello?” _ Atem!! That’s his voice! _ But… it sounded like he was somewhere loud. Yugi could hear him, but the background noise was impressive, and it made him incredibly curious about where the b-boy was. 

“Atem… uhh… It’s me, Yugi.” He tried to make his voice sound calm, but he was worried that his nervous excitement might be embarrassingly obvious. Atem always seemed effortlessly capable of reading him and his emotions. 

“Yugi. One moment…” The background noise began to recede, what sounded like music and intermittent yelling fading gradually until it was barely detectable. “I’m sorry about that. So, are you feeling better now?” 

“Yeah, better.” Yugi nodded eagerly, forgetting momentarily that Atem couldn’t see his physical response to the question and opting to repeat the sentiment with a bit more energy. “I mean, yes. I feel much better!” 

“That’s great news.” Was he imagining it? Atem sounded… genuinely relieved to hear it. Suddenly, a voice in the background called out the b-boy’s name. Yugi couldn’t make out any details about the mystery voice other than that it sounded just a pitch higher than Atem’s… but still lower than his own. “Just give me a moment to wrap up.” It was obvious that Atem had attempted to speak away from the mic, but the lack of background noise allowed the words, however faint, to bleed into their connection. 

“I’m sorry to keep you. I just… I saw your memo and wanted to ask about the schedule.” Yugi felt a bit embarrassed, realizing that he’d probably called Atem during some sort of event, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. He didn’t realize how much he’d missed him while quarantined. 

“Ah, yes. I’m still working on the details. Let’s meet up tomorrow evening. Second floor. I’ll find you.”

“Ok, that sounds g-”

“I’m sorry, Yugi. I have to go. I’ll text you.” And with that, the line went dead. At first, Yugi felt just a tad deflated, but he knew that Atem would never rush off like that if it weren’t for anything important. They may have only met recently, but this was something he just _ knew _. An inarguable fact of the world on par with the existence of gravity. 

Sighing contentedly, he opened the door and walked back out to the table in the living room space, shoving his phone back into one of his pockets before taking a seat. “Thanks for making dinner, Joey. Sorry about that.” 

“Eh, no need to worry about it, Yug. I’m sure you and your vampire boyfriend had a lot to catch up on,” he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows jokingly for dramatic effect. Yugi blushed, grabbing a fork and digging into the spaghetti with reckless abandon, determined to ignore his friend’s blatant teasing. 

“Enough about me and my non existent love life,” he muttered in between bites, turning the full force of his sweeping blue gaze on Joey. “So, what did you get up to this weekend?” 

“Hmm… Well, I went out for a duel monsters tournament with Tristan on Saturday. He doesn’t really play, but he likes hanging out at the game shop,” he shrugged. “I actually did pretty good too! Managed to get in some pretty clutch victories. There was this one kid… I can’t believe it, but he had Kuriboh in his deck! And he totally wiped the floor with me! Lucky punk.” Joey shook his head and crossed his arms, eyes glazing over as he became lost in the memory of the match. 

“That’s it!! Kuriboh! I knew I’d heard that name somewhere before,” Yugi groaned, lightly smacking his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner… I used to play Duel Monsters all the time.” Yugi shook his head, still struggling to process that he’d failed to recognize the name of Atem’s cat. 

“Huh…? What’s up? What about Kuriboh? I guess you did used to have him in your deck too…” he added thoughtfully, resting his chin on his hand. “Speakin’ of, why did you ever stop playing? You were pretty good!” It was as if the memory of Yugi’s skill back in his high school days were taunting him, especially in light of losing to someone else with Kuriboh in their deck.

“Well, you know… Just got so busy with dance practice. And the pace picked up even more in college,” he mumbled, trying to remember the cards that had been in his go-to deck back in his tourney days. Joey definitely wasn’t exaggerating. He really had been talented, but the pressures and time constraints of becoming a professional dancer had forced him to abandon the hobby. _The fact that Atem’s cat is named after a Duel Monsters card… I wonder if he plays?! I’m totally going to get him to make a bet with me and then kick his ass…_ Yugi grinned wickedly, the thought of besting the almighty Atem, newly christened ‘pharaoh’ of DPAC, sending his brain into hyper drive. 

Between dance practice and duel monsters, he had a feeling that he and Atem would have a particularly… electrifying time ahead of them. He could practically feel the note burning in his pocket, Atem’s promise to “make it up to him next time” echoing endlessly into the depths of his scheming mind. “We’ll see, Atem. We’ll see…” he grinned, ignoring Joey’s puzzled expression and diving into his remaining spaghetti with a newfound passion. 

Tomorrow night couldn’t come soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song mention: Crazy Lately by Break Science  
You can find this song on soundcloud and spotify if you're interested! 
> 
> Note: I know next to nothing about what goes into stylizing a breakdancing routine and choosing music to dance to, so I'm merely going along with music I like and glossing over the details. I just wouldn't want anyone to think that I'm an expert or claiming knowledge on the subject, when in reality I'm a total novice heh. Nevertheless, I hope it's enjoyable!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At long last, Atem and Yugi reunite. But... who is this stranger?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... So, where do I begin... Firstly, I apologize for the incredibly long wait between chapters. I was going through some personal issues that completely sapped me of any and all will to write. Luckily, I am working through a lot of those issues now, and I have more time on my hands! 
> 
> I've story-boarded the bulk of this fanfic already, and I'm working on it alongside my other fic, The Tempest. I absolutely love writing, and I've found that when I sit down to work on one of my fics, I can get lost in another world- one where the sadness and uncertainty of my life can be briefly forgotten. 
> 
> Puzzleshipping is so, SO important to me, and I find it one of the only places where I can feel completely at peace. I hope that you can find some of that peace and joy in reading my work. 
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are much appreciated! They really fuel me to write, and it brightens my day to know that others enjoy what I create! 
> 
> Thank you so much. <3 
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy chapter 5 of Dance Like Your Life Depends on It!  
PoP

This evening _ really _ couldn’t come soon enough. Yugi was wholly fixated on the clock located conveniently above the Professor’s podium, bouncing his right heel repeatedly against the dull floor as he tuned out the lecture, singularly focused on finding a way to make the time pass more quickly. He would normally be tolerant of this class, despite the fact that it was long and covered material he was mostly familiar with. But not today. 

_ I should have double-minored in a science field just so I could figure out how to time travel… _ he groaned internally, hanging his head in defeat. There was still a whopping hour of the lecture to suffer through before he could escape the confines of this drab room. _ That is, if I’m lucky enough that my will to live remains after sitting through this soul-sucking droll _. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a glimmer of light and realized that he must have received a text message during his staring contest with the clock. A quick tap on the screen revealed that it was from his friend, Tea, who was also attending this lecture but had opted to sit a few rows ahead to force herself to stay awake.

_ A watched pot never boils, Yugi. _

He chuckled softly in response, noting that she must have looked back to see how he was faring only to find him locked in what appeared to be an epic battle of “Who will look away first?!” with a clock. And, she was right. Sighing, he flipped to an open page of his notebook, deciding that he’d spend the rest of the hour jotting down Yu-Gi-Oh cards and strategies that he might be able to employ in his upcoming duel with Atem. A duel that he was certain Atem’s competitive side couldn’t back down from. 

In his high school dueling days, he’d often relied on a well-timed fusion monster summon to take the lead, but he would have to do some research and see how much the game had changed. _ Most card games evolve quickly, so there’s no telling what kinds of strategies people use now. But maybe I can still use the Dark Magician… _He doodled mindlessly in the margins of his notebook, sketching the pyramid symbol that was featured on the back of every duel monsters card and realizing with a start that it reminded him of Atem’s earring. 

_ I wonder if I should text him. He did say he would message me… _Yugi eyed his phone warily, debating the pros and cons of taking matters into his own hands. He doubted that Yami would forget, and he didn’t want to come off as impatient. In the end, he decided to shove his phone deep into the recesses of his bookbag for the remainder of class, to resist the temptation. Still, his fingers drummed the smooth wooden surface, a soundless rhythm that betrayed his lingering itch to text. 

The last five minutes of class seemed eternal, somehow lasting longer than the hour and 45 minutes he’d already managed to endure. When it was time, Yugi stood nearly in tandem with the bell, releasing an audible sigh of relief as he grabbed his backpack and strode toward the door. As he walked, he plunged a hand into his bag, sifting through loose paper and pens to find his phone. “Aha, there you are,” he stated smugly, ignoring the looks directed his way by a handful of passersby. 

His heart nearly stopped. A quick tap on the screen had revealed a new message from… none other than the Pharaoh himself. Frantically, Yugi blew away the eraser dust that had settled on the glass, hurrying across the hallway and leaning against a nearby pillar. He cleared his throat, glancing about and taking a moment to school his expression. _ It’s not that big of a deal… Just a message. It’s totally cool, _he assured himself. However, the words did almost nothing to ease the excitement he felt. 

Grinning, he brought up the message, eyes drinking in the letters on the screen with a frantic need not unlike that of a desperate desert traveller stumbling across an oasis of spring water. 

_ I’m looking forward to this evening, Yugi. I’ll meet you outside the practice building. Oh, and… I know you’re excited, but don’t forget to breathe. Wouldn’t want you fainting again. ;) _

“Don’t forget to-! That-!” Red-faced and spluttering, Yugi glanced anxiously about the hallway, thankful that it was deserted. He narrowed his eyes, taking a deep breath and centering himself. _ That’s it. He is so getting schooled. I’ll show him. We’ll see who’s having breathing problems in the near future, Atem… _

A newfound fire in his step, Yugi set off for the practice building, ruthlessly running through a myriad of duel monsters strategies in his mind as he envisioned how deliciously sweet his imminent victory over Atem would taste. 

* * *

Yugi drank in the crisp fall air, closing his eyes and basking in the sun. He’d stepped out into the quad to find a crowd of students milling about the grassy area; he spotted people sitting on benches listening to music, playing frisbee in small groups, and picnicking atop quilted blankets. Sighing wistfully, he pulled his earbuds from the pocket on his sweater, popping them in and booting up a Spotify playlist he’d put together a few months ago. _ I wish I could just sunbathe for awhile, but… Now that I’m officially joining Atem’s team I’m going to be crazy busy for the next few months. _

The walk to the practice building wasn’t long, but Yugi liked to take advantage of even small pockets of free time. Being the busy dance student that he was, he knew that such opportunities were invaluable. Not to mention, listening to music would help avoid the nerves that were bubbling up at the prospect of getting to see Atem again. Frowning, Yugi skipped a particularly upbeat song. He normally appreciated the poppy tune, but he needed something a bit less… loud. The new song he’d landed on was… mellow. Not quite sad, but thoughtful. It was a tune that Tea had shared with him awhile back by Kings of Convenience called _ Gold in the Air of Summer. _

As he walked, absorbed in the melancholy beauty of the song, leaves tumbled lazily from their perches in the treetops to the ground beneath, crunching beneath his feet. It brought back memories of time spent with Joey and Tristan as children, jumping into piles of multicolored leaves- bits of yellow, brown, and red getting caught in their hair as they squealed with delight. 

Smiling to himself as the song drew to a close, he looked up at the practice building, spotting Atem immediately and feeling butterflies take flight in his stomach. What took him by surprise however, was to see an unfamiliar figure standing across from him. Though the stranger’s back was to Yugi, he could tell that the man was ridiculously tall. And more fashionable than any college student had a right to be. _Geez… He’s making us all look bad, _Yugi grumbled to himself. The tall stranger was wearing what had to be an absurdly expensive, alabaster white trench coat, and as Yugi drew nearer, he spotted a glittering, golden watch adorning the man’s wrist. _As if the trench coat wasn’t enough._

Yugi pulled out his earbuds, tucking them carefully back into the pocket of his sweater and narrowing his eyes in concentration. Though he could tell that Atem and trench-coat-man were conversing, he couldn’t make out any of the words. He gulped anxiously, feeling a bit like a spy, albeit a novice one, as he tip-toed ever closer- hoping that the large number of students on the quad would camouflage him and obscure his approach. Before long, he could make out the bulk of what they were saying, the direction of the faint fall breeze seeming to act in his favor.

“Yes, yes. Thank you for before. I know it’s not your typical style…” Atem drawled, picking at a fingernail and appearing even more bored than usual. He looked about as thankful as if he’d just been given a mud pie to the face by a stranger’s 3 year old toddler. Yugi tilted his head in confusion, wondering what on earth he might be thanking the tall stranger for. _ I haven’t even seen this guy before, so he must be from a different department. I wonder how they know each other. _

“Whatever,” trench-coat-man sneered, pulling out his phone and tapping away mindlessly, matching Atem’s boredom move-for-move. It almost felt as if they were in a competition to appear the most aloof. “Just don’t forget what you promised me, Sennen. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” 

_ No such thing as a free lunch…? What the heck is he on about?! _Eyebrows furrowed in thought, Yugi didn’t notice Joey call out to him from behind. 

“YUUUG! Fancy meeting you here!” Joey bellowed, pulling up beside Yugi and clapping him roughly on the back. Yugi winced as Atem and trench-coat man (along with several other nearby students), peered in their general direction curiously. 

“Thanks, Joey…” he hissed, glaring up at his friend and stomping toward the front of the practice building now that his cover had effectively been blown. As soon as he entered Atem’s field of vision, the star b-boy arched an eyebrow in amusement, and Yugi was certain that he knew exactly what he’d been up to. Muttering darkly under his breath, he climbed the small flight of steps up to the area where the two men were talking. 

“Hi, Atem,” he sighed, dragging his feet for the final, short distance that remained between them. _ I might as well embrace my fate. _Smirking, Atem gave him an obvious once-over while trench-coat-man merely rolled his eyes. 

“There you are. I’ve been waiting for you, babe,” Atem purred, snaking an arm around Yugi’s shoulder and tugging him sideways until their sides were touching. Yugi spluttered in shock as the tall stranger snorted in annoyance at the display. 

“Wow, Atem. I’m truly amazed you managed to track down someone even shorter than you to shower with your affections,” he scoffed, lifting his wrist and checking the time as his watch glittered beautifully in the golden glow of the sinking sun. “As _ unbelievably _ fun as our catch-up has been, I’m afraid I have someone to meet as well.” The stranger’s deep, somewhat gravelly voice was dripping in unmistakable sarcasm. 

“Yug, why’d you bolt off so quick! You know I-” Pausing mid-sentence and mid-step, Joey stared at the unexpected scene before him, as if he didn’t know where to begin. His wide eyes lingered on Atem’s arm, still wrapped around Yugi’s shoulders. He folded his arms and smirked. “Soooo, nothing between you two, huh?” Joey tilted his head defiantly, as if waiting to see what Yugi would say to defend himself. 

Red-faced, Yugi hastily pushed free of Atem’s hold, opening his mouth as he prepared to retaliate. “Joey,” trench-coat-man sneered, interrupting Yugi before he had a chance to formulate a response. “You do realize that you’re 3 minutes late, don’t you? But then, I would expect nothing less from you.” 

Now it was Joey’s turn to splutter in shock. “What?! You-! I told you I might be a bit late because of my meeting with the Profess-”

“Whatever. I don’t have time to argue with the likes of you. Come.” Scowling, the tall stranger turned abruptly on his heel, striding into the practice building without a second glance. Fists clenched at his sides, Joey muttered angrily under his breath, stomping after the tall stranger’s rapidly disappearing trench-coat. 

The only thing Yugi could make out as his friend passed him in a rage was, “That Kaiba… thinks he’s so fucking GREAT.” 

Yugi stared after them for a moment, nearly forgetting that Atem was standing immediately to his right. _ So… Kaiba? I feel like I’ve heard that name before. _He was so lost in thought that he almost missed it when Atem next spoke.

“Finally… some alone time,” Atem muttered playfully, eyeing Yugi’s distracted face with barely concealed amusement. 

“Oh, uh… yeah.” _I guess I'll just have to find out more about this Kaiba fellow later from Joey... _

Atem laughed, jolting the ballet dancer from his reverie. “I feel like I could have gotten you to agree to almost anything just then. What a missed opportunity.” Winking, Atem turned toward the practice building, taking a few steps before waiting to see if Yugi would follow. He blushed, adjusting his backpack before setting off._ It’s finally happening… I’m going to start practicing with Atem! _

This time, Yugi didn’t need to think twice before following. 

* * *

The practice room looked just like any other in the building; smooth wooden floors with mirror-lined walls and an old, scratched stereo in the corner. Though Yugi was nervous about spending one-on-one time with Atem and potentially making a fool of himself, he was also immensely thankful that being in this space made it easier to relax. 

_ How many nights have I spent here after class, practicing time and time again…? _ He smiled ruefully, memories of the past couple years flooding his thoughts. Whether it be past ballet competitions or recent modern dance projects, he’d spent countless hours in these rooms, tapping into the fierce concentration needed to excel. And not just to excel… To be the _ best _. 

Behind him, Atem had dropped his bag and was already undoing the laces on his outdoor shoes. “What are you thinking about, Yugi…? You seem lost in thought.” 

“Oh, nothing in particular… Just thinking about all the time I’ve spent in these rooms. You know.” Yugi blushed a bit before dropping to the floor across from Atem and setting to work on his laces. _ I must sound like a sentimental idiot to him… _

“I know what you mean.” Atem paused for a moment, looking up and finding Yugi’s surprised face. “I can relax here. It’s a safe space.” Yugi let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and coughed a bit before resuming the work on his laces, not wanting to embarrass himself any further. “But of course, it’s a bit harder to relax when I’m in this room with you, Yugi…” 

The ballet dancer narrowed his eyes, obviously skeptical, but he didn’t pause to look up at Atem. Perhaps he was a bit worried what he might find there if they locked eyes. They both wrapped up the remainder of their prep work in silence, neither one quite willing to cut through the tension, to test the intense magnetism that seemed ever-present between them. 

After what felt like an eternity, Atem reached for his bag and sifted deftly through the interior, pulling out a CD and studying the tracklist on the back with an arched eyebrow. “Hmm…” 

Clearing his throat, Yugi stood up and did a few basic stretches while he worked up the nerve to speak. “So… what’s in store for today?” 

“Nothing too difficult. Actually, before we start there are a couple of things I want to talk about.” 

_ Uh-oh… _ Yugi’s eyes widened, and his heart raced. _ That doesn’t sound good. _

“Don’t get too worked up. It’s nothing serious. I just want to show you the training schedule and give you some background information about where we’re at.” Atem stood, leaning casually against the wall and waiting for Yugi to relax. _ And looking hotter than anyone has a right to… _

“Oh, uh… that sounds good! I mean, I know a fair amount about the competition already, so you don’t have to worry about that, at least.” Feeling a bit awkward standing out in the open with his arms at his sides, Yugi opted to lean against the wall beside Atem. If the b-boy thought anything of his decision, he kept mercifully quiet. 

“How much do you know about Marik Ishtar, Yugi?” Atem switched from leaning against his back to leaning against his side, fixing his trademark crimson gaze on the ballet dancer’s flushed face with just the hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips. 

“Well… Not much,” Yugi admitted with an embarrassed frown, tilting his head to the side in thought. “I know that he’s widely recognized in the breakdancing world. And that he tends to opt for a really flashy style. But other than that…” Yugi trailed off, trying to recall any other details about the silver-haired dancer. _ I guess I’m usually so obsessed with Atem that I totally skip over him. As humiliating as it is to admit that… _

“I suppose ‘flashy’ is one way to put it. Although I can think of several others,” Atem interrupted Yugi’s internal musings with a grimace. “Regardless, I am doing everything I can to monitor his progress. At this point, he’s pretty much the only obstacle to our victory in the competition.” 

Yugi gulped, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him. After all, one of the main reasons he’d agreed to join Atem’s team was to monitor _ his _ progress. It made him feel utterly ashamed to think that he’d been motivated by something so selfish when Atem had been so quick to support him. _ He even carried me to his apartment when I got sick. _

“It’s not very important right now, but I’m planning to show some videos of his past performances at a few of our team practices. Keep your friends close but your enemies even closer, am I right…?” Atem’s eyes glinted mischievously, knowingly, and Yugi felt his heart rate pick up in response- a rapid, fluttering beat. 

_ Wait, when did we get so close…? _ Dazedly, Yugi realized that their shoulders were nearly brushing up against each other, and he could smell the faintest hints of Yami’s cologne. _ Wow, s’good… _As if in a trance, he moved forward sluggishly, eyes clouding over as he briefly nuzzled his nose against Atem’s T-shirt clad shoulder. It took every ounce of the b-boy’s control not to snort in response- lest he scare away the younger man. 

Grinning, he whispered softly into Yugi’s ear, not wanting to frighten him away before the moment was up. “But of course… the saying continues. ‘And keep your lovers the closest’,” he breathed. Yugi hardly realized that he’d been leaning closer and closer to the b-boy as he spoke, drinking in his scent and feeling utterly disoriented. Much to his dismay, Atem suddenly pulled away, reaching for his phone and admiring Yugi’s glazed-over expression. 

“Hm? What happened…?” Yugi mumbled, running a hand through his wavy locks and screwing up his face in concentration. _ Absolutely, unbelievably adorable _, Atem thought to himself, his smile widening at the sight. 

“I was just telling you about Marik,” Atem replied swiftly, schooling his expression. He didn’t want Yugi to get too caught up in what had transpired and retreat to the safety of his shell. He was beginning to realize that he’d have to adopt a careful, calculated approach in his attempts to woo the fickle ballet dancer. “But now, we can let the real fun and games begin.” Smiling devilishly, Atem locked eyes with Yugi. This was going to be even better than he’d anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel a perspective switch coming on in the next chapter, hehe.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to lace up your dancin' shoes! And wait, what are we doing after practice?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday, everyone, and welcome to the month of May!
> 
> I spent quite a bit of time on this chapter, and I hope it turned out ok... Just as a reminder, I don't know that much about breakdance beyond the very, very basics, so please suspend disbelief! XD 
> 
> I focused a lot of my energy on trying to create natural dialogue between Yugi and Atem in this chapter, and I hope I succeeded... Let me know what you think! 
> 
> **ALSO, I am in the process of setting up a discord server for puzzleshipping fans to share fanart and story ideas/chat about their love of the series. If you're interested, please let me know!**
> 
> PoP

_ Delicious. Absolutely delicious. _ Atem raised an eyebrow in appreciation, sipping a sports drink leisurely from his spot against the wall as he admired Yugi’s flexibility. The auburn-haired beauty was wrapping up a set of toe-touches, a look of absolute concentration on his face as he bent over, effortlessly placing his palms against the floor. He had the adorable habit of biting his lower lip when he was focused, which drove Atem crazy; not to mention the fact that his delightful ass was currently on full display... 

Atem shook himself, somehow forcing his gaze up and away from the black hole that was Yugi’s butt.  _ If I don’t look away now, there’s no telling what I might do…  _ No matter how many times he thought things through, he still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that he’d managed to find the ballet dancer so quickly, and that he’d roped him into joining his dance team with virtually no resistance. 

He had first learned about the Yugi while reading through DPAC’s premier dance magazine as he began scouting for potential recruits. Atem had been immediately captivated by his interview responses and wasted no time in searching up videos of his past competitions. The deal was sealed once he’d laid eyes on the ballet dancer in action, nearly forgetting to breathe as he absorbed every fine-tuned detail.  _ How is it possible for one human to exhibit such grace…?  _ Every leap, every step, every twirl… Was an example of perfection to be placed on a pedestal alongside the greats. It was obvious that Yugi had spent years upon years honing his technique.

Atem typically prided himself on his composure, but even he had been brought to the point of slack-jawed surprise when Yugi suddenly appeared at the usual breakdancing hangout spot behind the art building. He failed to realize that the younger man had shown up until he was already claiming center stage- exhibiting that same passion he’d seen in the videos from before. It was at that moment he  _ knew _ Yugi belonged by his side. An indelible truth that had re-oriented his vision for the future and created a magnetic pull he had no hope of fighting. Somehow, he knew.  _ Yugi is the key.  _

As Atem mused, absorbed in his thoughts, Yugi drew in a deep breath, finally done with the last of his warm-up routine. “All right! I’m ready to go,” he beamed, face slightly flushed from the mild exertion of his stretches.  _ He’s so dangerous, and he doesn’t even know it.  _

Atem spun the cap back onto his drink, dropping it casually on top of his bag. “Well, let’s get this party started then.” He reached for his phone, pulling open a note he’d made with a few short videos to watch together. “There are just a couple things I want to show you before we throw ourselves into it.” 

“That sounds good. I learn pretty well through observation.” Yugi smiled confidently, grabbing his water bottle and taking a sip before joining Atem by the wall. 

“Hmm… I’ll keep that in mind,” the b-boy murmured in response, noting the blush that crept up Yugi’s neck with satisfaction. “Here, this one is actually a friend of mine, a b-boy with roots in ballet. I think it might be useful.” 

Atem slid down the wall, beckoning for Yugi to sit beside him. Once they were seated side-by-side, he pulled his knee up, resting his phone against his thigh so that Yugi would be able to see it more clearly.  _ And so that I’ll have a free arm…  _

He hit play, and the video started with a quick introduction by the ballet dancer turned b-boy. Yugi was staring at the screen in fascination as the man on screen explained the aspects of his ballet experience that had been easily transferred over to the more modern dance form- essentially pointing out that he’d already had the strength and flexibility necessary to perform the moves. Once Atem was sure that Yugi wasn’t paying much attention to anything outside the video, he slid an arm behind him, cupping his shoulder with a feather-light touch. 

“For example, performing a freeze in breakdance isn’t something that takes an entirely new skillset. Once you realize that you already have the strength in your upper body, you just need to practice different types of handstands and poses… Like this… ” The man on screen demonstrated a short routine of different upper body balancing maneuvers, and Yugi watched with rapt attention. 

“Ohhh… I-I guess that makes sense… I mean, I could do that, and I see how that would connect with the other thing,” Yugi mumbled in thought, the gears in his head clearly turning. Atem watched out of the corner of his eye, amusement playing at the corner of his lips.  _ I’m glad this seems to be doing the trick. He just needs to understand that he’s already more than capable. Of course, it’ll take practice, but he has such a solid foundation already built up.  _

The rest of the video went by in a blur. Atem was hardly paying attention to the content, as he found it difficult to tear his eyes away from Yugi’s face.  _ He’s just so adorable when he’s focused…  _

“Hopefully this video is useful! I know that when I decided to try out breakdancing I was more than a little nervous, but after you realize you’ve got what it takes, you’ll have a blast mastering toprocks, downrocks, power moves, and freezes. Now, go out there and give it a go!” Grinning as he waved to the screen, the video faded to black, and several links of related content popped up in its place. 

“He’s right!” Without warning, Yugi leapt to his feet, not even realizing that Atem’s arm had snaked its way around him during the video. Hastily, the b-boy pulled his arm flush against his side, standing swiftly and chuckling a bit when Yugi fist-pumped in excitement. “Atem, that was perfect! I totally understood everything he was saying! It was just like when I ….” Yugi rambled on for a bit, but Atem barely took in the words. He was too caught up in memorizing this moment, realizing that Yugi’s eagerness and joy-filled expression sparked a comfortable warmth within him.  _ His eyes are practically sparkling from excitement… I never understood that phrase until now.  _ “Uhh… Sorry, I got carried away,” Yugi mumbled sheepishly, running a hand through his hair- a nervous tic that Atem had noticed before. 

“No apologies necessary. It’s good to see you so excited and confident.” Yugi blushed just a bit in response. “I take it you’re ready to work on some technical aspects today?” Atem winked, grabbing the CD he’d found before. “I think we should focus on freezes first. There’s a low risk for injury with me here to help, and I know you’ll get the hang of it quickly.” 

He strode toward the CD player and popped the disc in, flipping to a repetitive backtrack with some good segments to practice over. Freezes were intended to accentuate certain beat drops and pauses in the music, so having the right tune would make their practice session much more natural. 

“I’ll demonstrate some basic poses first and try to make it really obvious how I’m timing things.” Atem ran through a few basic stretches before deftly launching into some improvised footwork. “Promise me you won’t get too distracted…?” Atem teased, not missing a beat as he spoke.  _ I might be showing off… Just a little.  _ Yugi was staring at his movements, eyes flitting rapidly in time to the music and brow furrowed in concentration. “Earth to Yugi,” he chuckled, just before the beat drop. 

He caught a glimpse of Yugi’s bewildered expression before diving into an elegant left-handed freeze, holding it for just a bit longer than necessary… 

“Show off,” Yugi mumbled, barely audible over the music in the background. Though it was absolutely unnecessary, Atem collapsed into a flare, choosing to use the momentum of the spin to propel himself upright. He was grinning, smiling so wide that his face muscles felt the strain.  _ I can’t even remember the last time I had this much fun.  _

And Yugi… Yugi was staring at him with eyes wide as dinner plates. “Uhh… I don’t… I mean, I can’t…” he stammered, unconsciously taking a step back as Atem closed the distance between them. 

“Don’t worry, Yugi. I won’t bite.”  _ At least, not for now… _ Feeling more than a bit mischievous after his display, he twirled a stray lock of Yugi’s hair, tucking it behind his ear and leaning forward. His eyes glinted as he whispered, “But you’re right about one thing. I am definitely a show off. Although there’s _ much _ more that I intend to show you.” Yugi gulped, sidestepping him and rushing to the open space Atem had just occupied. 

“Well, no need for that!” he squeaked. It seemed the pitch of his voice surprised even himself, as he cleared his throat before continuing. “I think I know what to do, so I’ll give it a go… Just, don’t laugh, ok…?” he pleaded, taking a deep breath and swaying in time to the music. 

“I’m not going to laugh at you, Yugi,” Atem scoffed. “That’s absolutely ridiculous. I’m here to support you as you should very well-” He stopped mid-sentence, watching as Yugi stepped in time with the rhythm before diving at the floor with one hand. “Yugi-!” he called out in shock, fear lancing through him.  _ Why on earth is he trying to do it one-handed right now?!  _ Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Everything except the racing pulse of his heartbeat... 

Before he knew it, Yugi had stuck the pose, dropping to his knees after just a moment. His face was flushed, but the barest hint of a satisfied smile graced his handsome features. “What were you thinking?!” Atem growled, wasting no time in falling to his knees beside the ballet dancer and taking a hold of his arm with both hands, gripping it gently as he probed for any potential injuries. 

“But… I did it…” Yugi whispered, confused by Atem’s response. “I didn’t think I would be able to-”

“You could have hurt yourself! Surely you know from class that performing a freeze one handed isn’t something you can just… DO!” Atem groaned in exasperation, his heart rate finally slowing to a more acceptable speed. 

“Well,  _ you _ did it,” Yugi huffed. “And I wanted to prove that I’m worthy!” 

“Are you kidding?” Atem stared at Yugi in disbelief. “You do realize that I did it because I’m Atem Sennen, right?”  _ And also because I wanted to impress you…  _ Though he opted to keep that last part out. 

“As if I need any reminding of that!” Red-faced, Yugi yanked his arm out of the b-boy’s grip, scowling and hugging his knees. “I obviously know we’re not the same. I just… wanted to prove that I-”

“Yugi,” Atem chided, interrupting the younger man’s spiraling response and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You don’t need to do something reckless to prove yourself to me. I already respect you, and I think you’re a phenomenal dancer.” 

He sighed, pulling away for a moment to grab Yugi’s water bottle. “Here. I didn’t mean to make you feel embarrassed. I was just…” He paused for a moment, debating. “I was just…  _ worried _ . I care about you, Yugi.”  _ More than you know.  _

Something about Atem’s response seemed to do the trick, as Yugi smiled shyly before taking a sip of water. “Thanks, Atem.”  _ God, those eyes.  _ “You’re right. It  _ was _ reckless, and I won’t do it again until I’ve practiced more.” 

Atem breathed a sigh of relief, pleased that he seemed to understand his intentions. “Thank you.” He gave Yugi’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before standing up and surveying their surroundings. “Time for some  _ two-handed _ freezes. That is, assuming you’ve still got it in you,” he added with a wink, offering his hand to the ballet dancer and tugging him to his feet. 

“Well, of course! I mean, I pulled off a one-handed freeze, so how hard can it be?” Yugi scoffed, playing up his confidence as Atem chuckled knowingly. 

* * *

The answer was ‘hard’.  _ Very _ hard. Yugi groaned, pulling himself back to his feet after yet another failed attempt to hold the pose.  _ Well, I managed to get a couple that weren’t too bad, but I can’t hold it for all that long… And some of these poses are so difficult to balance!  _

“You’ve done well, Yugi. It’s not worth overexerting yourself when we have plenty of time to practice. Although I do love the view… I certainly can’t deny that,” Atem smirked, pressing pause on the CD player and popping the disc back into its case. 

“Yeah, yeah… I don’t know  _ why _ , though. Not sure what’s so great about watching me struggle to do stuff that you could probably do in your sleep.” Yugi sighed and plodded over to his bag, falling gracefully to the floor and quickly unlacing his dance shoes. His fingers were shaking just a bit after the rigorous practice session, and Atem watched him, appraising. 

“Well, it’s because it’s you, of course. Somehow you even manage to make  _ falling _ look good. What’s your secret?” he teased, grinning devilishly at the glare Yugi shot his way. 

“You know, it’s impossible to believe you when you say stuff like that,” Yugi huffed, shoving his dance shoes into their knapsack and shouldering his bag with just a little more force than necessary. He winced when the weight of his books nearly sent him off balance. 

“Well, that’s unfortunate. Because I am being 100% serious. I can assure you of that.” Still grinning, Atem unlaced his shoes as the ballet dancer sighed dramatically, leaning against the wall and checking his phone. _ I wonder if Joey sent any messages about his meet-up with that Kaiba fellow.  _ It wasn’t uncommon for the two roommates to meet up Monday evenings for dinner, but he had a feeling that Joey would be preoccupied today. 

“Well, I guess if you really _ are  _ being serious, then you wouldn’t mind taking me out to dinner, right…?” Yugi probed, smirking as he glanced up at Atem from his phone.  _ As if he would ever be caught in public hanging out with me. I’m sure he values his image too much for that. Just think of the talk it’d generate…  _

“When? Now?” The b-boy stood so swiftly that his pyramid earring was left swaying to-and-fro, not bothering to hide his obvious, wide-eyed interest. 

“Yeah, exactly. See? I knew you wouldn’t want to… Wait, what?!” Yugi sputtered, finally processing Atem’s words. He’d nearly dropped his phone in surprise. “You can’t be serious?!” 

“Of course I’m serious. I already told you that.” Atem frowned and gave a little huff of annoyance, swinging his bag over his shoulder and striding over to the door, beckoning the ballet dancer to follow. “So, where are we going?”

“Wait, so… We’re actually doing this?! Now?!” Yugi felt waves of panic rising within as he turned to the mirror and assessed his current state of affairs. “I can’t go out with you looking like this! What will people say?!”  _ I’m dressed for class, not for a freaking dinner date!  _

Atem sighed impatiently, striding over to where Yugi stood- a flustered mess gazing at the mirror and biting his lower lip. “Yugi. Look at me.” Slowly, the ballet dancer turned, directing his panic-stricken expression up at Atem. “It’s going to be fine. Neither of us is dressed up, but that’s  _ okay _ . I just want to spend more time with you. Please?” Yugi felt his breath slow, and he blushed at Atem’s request. 

Once he felt calm enough not to make a fool of himself, he nodded. “Y-you’re right. It’s a good opportunity to hang out.” _ It’s not like this has to be anything serious…  _

“Exactly.” Smiling now that Yugi seemed more calm, Atem pulled out his phone and flipped through a list of food joints. “There are a lot of restaurants around here. Any place in particular you’d like to go?” 

“I guess… There’s a place that sells different soups and salads that’s pretty good. And it’s not very expensive,” he mumbled, fiddling with the strap on his backpack. _ I can’t believe this is actually happening… I am my own worst enemy! What if I make a huge fool out of myself? Will Atem kick me from the team?! _

“Ah, I see it! It’s not very far, but I think it’d be better if we drove… The buses aren’t very reliable.” Atem slid his backpack off one shoulder and fumbled through the contents. Before long he retrieved a set of keys, and Yugi stared at the sight in surprise. Joey had a car, but it wasn’t all that common for kids on campus to drive, since parking spots were so expensive…  _ Not to mention how competitive some people get when it comes to finding a spot near the course buildings.  _

“I didn’t know that you have a car on campus,” he mused, hardly even aware that he’d said the words out loud. “Well, that is… it’s just not very common,” he added hurriedly.  _ Great, nice one.  _

Atem raised a brow questioningly. “I suppose so. It’s not that big of a deal, but I find that it’s useful since I practice at off-campus locations. And now you can benefit from it too, little one” he added with a wink, striding confidently toward the door and returning his backpack into its normal position. 

“I mean, I’m thankful, but… Wait, ‘little one’?! I’m not little!” he pouted, trailing after Atem. He flipped the lightswitch and cast the practice room into darkness, racing into the hallway after the b-boy as his backpack bounced with his steps. 

* * *

Atem had  _ deeeefinitely _ been downplaying it when he’d talked about his car. 

Yugi stared slack-jawed at the sleek, all black Porsche in unconcealed shock.  _ This has to be some kind of joke. Why?! Cruel world…  _ He shook his head slowly, one step away from raising his fists toward the sky and demanding answers.  _ I guess the nickname “Pharaoh” is more spot-on than I realized…  _

“What are you waiting for...? Get in.” Yugi jumped in surprise at the sound of Atem’s baritone voice directly behind him. “I already unlocked it. Just toss your stuff into the seat behind you.” The b-boy strolled leisurely around him and opened the door, raising an eyebrow at Yugi’s hesitation. “Are you ok…?” 

Yugi swallowed, somehow managing to uproot his feet and plod over to the passenger side. Every step felt like he was wading through molasses, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sleek, shiny exterior of the Porsche.  _ Oh my god, I feel sick just looking at this car. Wait NO, please god don’t let me throw up in his car UGH.  _ He coughed a bit before looking over at Atem, who was still waiting for a reply. “Yeah, I’m fine. Can I really… you know… touch this?” 

“Touch it?” Atem tilted his head in confusion. “What, the door handle? Are you sure you’re ok, Yugi?” The b-boy looked doubtful, eyes narrowed in suspicion.  _ Why doesn’t he understand what I’m getting at?! _ Yugi moaned internally. 

“Uhh… nevermind. I’m fine.” Yugi steeled himself, reaching tentatively for the handle and, hilariously enough, feeling surprised when it didn’t shock him.  _ I thought there was an automatic sensor on these things to ward off all poor people.  _

“If you’re sure. Just let me know if you’re feeling ill.” Atem ducked into the driver’s seat, switching the car on and waiting for Yugi to get situated. The muted purr of the Porsche nearly sent Yugi’s nerves into overdrive, but he somehow managed to bite that feeling down.  _ You can do this. It’s just dinner. With your idol. Who drives a Porsche and can’t seem to stop flirting with you. Oh my god I’m totally going to lose it. _ He nearly groaned in exasperation but somehow managed to curb it. 

He eyed the leather seat warily and slid into the car, clutching his bag to his chest.  _ I can’t just… toss this into the backseat! What if it scratches the leather or something?!  _

Yugi squeaked in surprise when Atem took the bag off his lap and chucked it carelessly behind them. “Can’t have that getting in the way of my line of sight. I need a clear view,” he teased, grinning as he turned his attention to backing out of the fairly busy lot. This space was close to the library, which many students used at this time of day to study. 

Yugi sank into the leather seat, doing his best not to think too much about the fact that the vehicle he was in was probably worth more than his entire family’s savings. As he cast his eye warily about the interior, he spotted a fluffy, brown plushie dangling from the rearview mirror. 

“Kuriboh…” he mumbled. Atem glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, taken aback. 

“Oh? Do you play?” he asked, switching on the blinker and pulling out of the parking lot. He was obviously curious, as he couldn’t resist peeking at Yugi again before the ballet dancer replied. 

Yugi wished that he still had his bag. Having something to hold on to typically gave him more confidence, which he desperately needed now.  _ Considering that I want to challenge Atem to a freaking card game... He’s definitely going to laugh.  _ “Actually… I did play when I was in High School,” he started, trying to sound nonchalant. He wanted to lure the b-boy into a false sense of security so that he could effectively trounce him. And avoid sounding stupid, of course. 

“Is that so? You never cease to surprise me, Yugi.” Though Atem didn’t allow his eyes to deviate from the road, he was clearly intrigued. “I’m surprised you didn’t mention it when I told you the name of my cat,” he laughed. 

“Take the next left onto Fairview Street.” The robotic GPS voice briefly cut into their conversation, but Yugi was ready as soon as it quieted. 

“Yeah, I had forgotten all about that card, can you believe it? I guess I’m just super rusty now. You know, maybe we could have a friendly duel sometime soon. Might be fun.” Yugi shrugged, playing it cool. “I mean, if you’re down.” 

While he was speaking, Atem pulled into the busy restaurant parking lot, sliding expertly into an open space between two flatbed trucks. As soon as they were safely parked, Atem turned in his seat, giving Yugi a scrutinizing once-over. It was a look that the ballet dancer had grown used to receiving. He did everything in his power not to fiddle his thumbs or otherwise reveal the hidden nature of his challenge.  _ Please say yes, please say yes…  _

“All right. Why not?”  _ Yes.  _

“Sweet, it’s going to be so much f-”

“But,” Atem interrupted, savoring the confused look on Yugi’s face. “Let’s make a little bet.” His crimson eyes glimmered in the dim lighting of the Porsche interior, and Yugi felt his stomach drop. “If I win, you have to let me take you out on a real date. And, I am so posting pictures on my social media page,” he gushed. The b-boy was smirking now, a lion staring down a gazelle, knowing its prey was _ right  _ where it wanted it to be. _ Fine then! Two can play at this game, Atem… I’m so not going to let this slide.  _

Yugi gritted his teeth, running through a million scenarios in his head before finding the one that felt just right. “Sure, Atem.”  _ I’m pretty sure I saw a glimmer of surprise in his eyes! He thought I wouldn’t take the bait. I’ll show him.  _ “But, if I win… You have to perform my number in the next ballet recital at DPAC. Seems fair, right?” Yugi taunted, knowing that Atem would have no choice but to agree. He couldn’t wait to see the star out of his element, knowing that it would probably be the only time he’d ever have the chance to witness such a thing.  _ And his request was pretty public, so it’s not like it’s anything crazy. His Twitter has way more followers than the number of people that attend those recitals, anyways. _

As Atem listened, something about his expression seemed to shift, though Yugi couldn’t quite place it. Was the b-boy merely surprised? Or was that a hint of… hunger?  _ Well, it’s too late to worry about it now. I just need to get my deck ready and do the best I can.  _

“I must admit, I’m excited to see how this little experiment plays out, Yugi. We can discuss the details over dinner.” Smiling slyly, Atem unlocked the doors and slipped out into the open air. There was nothing but the dim lighting of the store sign to illuminate the b-boy as he made his into the restaurant. 

Yugi’s stomach grumbled, and he grimaced before following Atem into the restaurant, feeling vaguely as if he were walking into a prison of his own design. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I had fun trying to picture Atem driving a sports car. Totally suits him, seeing as he's the Pharaoh and all. ;D This is the model I was envisioning while writing... https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/panamera/panamera-e-hybrid-models/panamera-4-e-hybrid-10years/


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! 
> 
> I'm sorry it's taken me a month to update this fic... I hope the longer-than-usual chapter makes up for it at least a bit! 
> 
> Also, it's Yugi's birthday!! This chapter is my gift to him and to the fandom. <3 Thank you all for your support. It really does mean the world to me! 
> 
> Many people have told me that they enjoy reading my dialogue, so I gave special attention to that in this update. It was very difficult to write, but... Looking back at it, I'm quite proud of how it turned out. I didn't proofread this enough, so I might make some small edits in the next couple days. But I really wanted to get this out in time for Yugi's b-day, sooo. Please bear with me. XD 
> 
> Thank you all so much!  
PoP

The harsh clink of glass on polished wood jolted Yugi from his thoughts. He blinked slowly, tearing his gaze up from the menu spread out before him and reaching out tentatively toward the glass of water as his eyes roved the newly decorated restaurant interior. Although, he felt that the word ‘decorated’ might be a bit overkill.

Being that Halloween wasn’t that far off, the staff had seen it fit to drape appropriately themed paper chains about the interior, and there were even tiny bowls of Reese’s Pieces in the center of every table- the typical fall colors of which were perfectly suited to the haphazard decor. _ If this place weren’t so close to campus I doubt they’d decorate it at all… College kids are too into Halloween for their own good. _

Yugi sighed heavily as his wandering gaze landed on an amateur origami cat perched precariously near the register. _ At least they had the sense to use black paper, or I probably wouldn’t even know that’s supposed to be a cat. _He didn’t miss the fact that Atem’s eyes trailed after his own, clearly curious about whatever could have elicited the combination of a sigh and eye roll from someone as generally laid back as Yugi. 

“Not a fan of the decor?” he joked, raising an eyebrow at Yugi’s somber expression as he crossed his arms. 

“Hmph. I mean, it’s fine. I just… That origami cat really needs some work,” he grumbled, somehow managing to tear his eyes away from the monstrosity and returning to the menu. Atem chuckled in response, tossing his head back with mirth. 

“Of anything to find offensive… What finally does it is an _ origami cat _?” He winked at Yugi, who merely glared, huffing shortly and making a show of flipping through the menu with more force than necessary. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as the type to be so… particular about such things.” 

“Well, that… that _ thing _ is a horrible, shameful display of the ancient art of origami, and I have half a mind to go up there and _ demand _ a piece of leftover paper so I can make it myself!” Yugi blinked, suddenly embarrassed at his outburst, which was made even worse by the fact that Atem was now staring at him with something akin to unbridled interest. Yugi found it difficult not to squirm under the weight of his expression, and he wrung his hands nervously beneath the safety of the table. _ I almost wish he’d just keep laughing at me… that’s actually easier to handle. _

“So, you’re an origami pro, huh?” Atem lowered his gaze to the menu, quickly skimming the contents with just the barest hint of a smirk still lingering on his features. 

“Well, uh, not really but…” Yugi knew that to anyone else in the restaurant Atem must look like the perfect picture of grace and beauty. His every movement was perfectly executed… Even down to something as simple as flipping a menu page or retrieving a glass of water._ It’s really just not fair. And no outsider would know how much of a tease he is, _Yugi grumbled inwardly. 

“Have you decided?” 

“Yeah. I’m just going to get the soup and salad combo. It’s my usual go-to,” he added with a shrug. 

“Excuse me,” Atem called out to a passing waitress, with a slight raise of his hand. “I’m sorry it took awhile for us to decide.” He flashed a dazzling smile at her, and she fumbled briefly with her pen and notepad as she hurried over to their table. 

Yugi glared at Atem from across the table, but he seemed utterly oblivious. _ Typical. What a flirt. _

“Just as a heads up, the soup of the day is creamy, roasted pumpkin, locally sourced from nearby farms,” she rattled off with ease. “I’m sorry I forgot to mention it earlier.” 

“No worries. Uhm, actually I’d like to do the soup and salad combo. The pumpkin one sounds good…” He paused for a moment to give the waitress time to write. “And I’d like Caesar salad, please. Dressing on the side.” 

“Got it. And what dressing would you like? We do also offer a balsamic vinaigrette.” 

“I’ll take the vinaigrette, then.” 

“And for you?” 

“The zucchini pesto with grilled chicken, please.” 

“Gotcha. I’ll go get these orders in right now. Just let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you,” she backed away with a smile before turning to leave. 

“Zucchini?” 

“Pumpkin?” 

Yugi’s eyes went wide before he burst out into laughter at their simultaneous line of questioning. “Hey, don’t knock pumpkin! My mom makes a mean pumpkin soup. It’s really good when it’s done right!” 

“I’d sooner die than eat pumpkin soup,” Atem snorted. “And what’s wrong with zucchini? Never had zoodles before?” he prodded. 

“You! You are so… _ contrary _ . I know you can’t hate pumpkin soup _ that _much.” 

Yugi huffed, matching Atem’s crossed arms with an upturned nose and earning another chuckle from his companion. 

“Well, maybe I’ll give it a go someday,” he mused. “I guess pumpkin soup is pretty popular in Japan, after all…” Atem hummed in thought, eyes drifting upwards. After a slight pause he continued. “Although, I must admit that I don’t really get the appeal.” 

“It’s just so… earthy and sweet and… What’s not to love?” Yugi countered, unable to process how someone could be so opposed to something so delicious and comforting. To him, pumpkin soup was a vestige of his childhood. A delightful meal shared with his mother and grandfather, their legs tucked under the kotatsu for warmth as the late fall evenings grew increasingly chilly. A temporarily abandoned board game resting precariously atop a nearby dresser as they ate. And, one of his mother’s delicately crafted origami cranes settled peacefully on the TV stand, peering at them over its elegant beak. 

“Yugi? Earth to Yugi. You in there?” 

“Huh? Oh, sorry about that… I was… distracted.” Embarrassed, Yugi hung his head and averted his eyes as he took a deep breath. Thinking of his past life in Japan had led him down an emotional road, and he wanted to avoid crying in front of Atem. Though, he couldn’t really explain why. _ I guess maybe it’s because he’s also so far from home… I don’t want both of us to end up feeling cruddy. _

“You look… sad.” Atem’s voice was soft and low, mindful of Yugi’s sudden shift in demeanor. “I hope it’s not the origami cat,” he teased gently. 

“I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m all right. Actually… it is sort of connected to the…” Yugi paused, feeling certain that referring to that abomination as “the origami cat” yet again was giving it far more credit than it deserved. “Well, that’s a part of it,” he admitted sheepishly. “But not in the way you might think,” he added in a rush. 

“Oh? You know, Yugi… You can tell me anything.” Atem eyed him cautiously and unfolded his arms slowly, almost as if he were a tiger not wanting to frighten the prey it had spent hours tracking. 

For a moment, just a moment, Yugi felt an unbearable, crushing loneliness, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had come. _ I’ve got people to lean on. It’s not like I don’t confide in Tristan and Joey, but there’s just something different about Atem… He can read me like an open book. It’s kind of scary… But, at the same time, I want to get to know him. He makes me feel in ways I haven’t before. _

As he thought, Yugi sighed, recalling a time that his grandfather had sat down to talk with him. It was after a fight he’d had with a friend way back in Elementary School, when he’d still lived in Japan. Though he didn’t remember the details, he could recall the general sentiment. 

“Sometimes your friends are the ones that hurt you the most, Yugi. But, that’s because you care. Because you are willing to do one of the most difficult things there is to do. _ You open up your heart and lay yourself bare _. Compassion is not a weakness, though it may bring you pain.” 

Yugi knew that his grandfather would tell him to trust his instincts, and right now, every fiber of his being was screaming at him to trust Atem. To open up, even if it was just a bit at a time. He met Atem’s gaze, seeing nothing but patience and understanding reflected there. 

“You don’t have to tell me anything. Just know that I’m here, and that I will always be willing to listen.” 

“No, I want to talk. It’s just, promise you won’t laugh…?” Yugi muttered, running a hand through his hair to dispel his nervousness

“Of course not. Well, probably not.” Atem winked playfully. 

Of course, the waitress chose that moment to reappear with their food. By now, Yugi knew he was hungrier than he’d realized. A long afternoon of classes followed by an intense practice session had left him running on empty. 

“Look. Now you’ll have your beloved pumpkin soup to keep your spirits up as you impart your life story to me.” Atem smirked as Yugi spluttered in reaction. “Don’t mind me… I’m just going to eat some of this delicious zucchini…” Slowly, deliberately, Atem drew his fork to his mouth, grinning devilishly as Yugi turned to stone, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight. 

Yugi gulped as he stared at the fork, completely entranced. Watching it disappear into Atem’s mouth was doing… something to him. 

“Is it… hot in here?” he muttered in a daze, shrugging out of his jacket in a rush to cool off. 

“Well… It might be hot. For you,” Atem twirled his fork, a wicked smile playing at his lips. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Yugi glanced about him in slight confusion, as if waking up from a trance. “Oh, our food is here…” 

“Exactly. I said, your food is hot. I guess you were distracted again,” Atem remarked, chuckling softly to himself as if he’d told a joke. 

_ Well, no use in thinking about it too much… He’s always like that. _Yugi shrugged, deciding not to dwell on it, and dove into his soup with gusto. “Mhm, now this is good pumpkin soup. I’m glad I decided to give it a go. Oh, yeah! I was going to tell you what I was thinking about before.” 

“Mhm. Well, you were going to tell me _ some _ of what you were thinking about at least,” Atem smirked. 

“Huh? Oh, whatever…” Yugi grumbled, Atem’s mysterious responses throwing him off. “Well, anyways, I was going to tell you about why the… origami cat…,” he managed, “bugs me so much.” Yugi made clockwise motions with his spoon, mindlessly stirring the pumpkin soup as he spoke. “My mom taught me how to make origami animals when I was little. Of course, I was bad for awhile. It’s not easy. But I was really into it, and eventually I got pretty good at it.” He felt a bit embarrassed saying such a thing out loud, since it wasn’t really standard in Japanese culture to talk about things you were good at. 

“That’s amazing,” Atem breathed, instantly jolting Yugi’s attention to his face. “To be honest, I’ve actually tried origami before, but…” he hesitated, seeming to reconsider, but after a moment he steeled himself and continued, voice stronger than before. “I was terrible at it. Absolutely, unequivocally _ terrible _. 

Yugi merely stared at him with wide eyes, expression otherwise blank. 

“I couldn’t even make a_ cicada _, Yugi. A goddamn cicada.” Atem chuckled, facepalming as he recalled his ineptitude. 

“Wait… So, let me get this straight. Atem. _ The _ Atem Sennen, all mighty king of the dance floor-”

“All mighty king of the dance floor has a nice ring to it,” he smirked. 

“Is so bad at origami he can’t make a _ cicada _?!” Yugi balked. “That’s… I mean…” Yugi couldn’t seem to find the words to voice his surprise. After just a moment of stunned silence, he burst into laughter, clutching his stomach and doubling over in the cramped booth as amusement overtook him. 

“You specifically asked me not to laugh at you, and this is what I get.” Atem shook his head in mock disbelief, smiling softly as he eyed Yugi’s mirth with barely concealed pride. 

“I’m… I’m sorry…” Yugi managed through slowly subsiding giggles. He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still grinning from Atem’s revelation. “I’m honestly just so surprised to find out that there’s something you’re bad at. It’s like a dream!” 

“Oh, so you dream of me being bad at things? I see how it is,” Atem deadpanned, hiding a smile behind his lifted water glass. 

“What-! No, I…” 

“I’m only kidding, Yugi.” 

“Oh, good. I-” 

“Besides, it’s only natural that you’d wish for someone as perfect and elegant as myself to have a flaw.” Atem winked, setting the glass back down on the table with a_ clink _. Yugi glared at him from across the table and stabbed at his salad with more force than necessary. 

“Yeah, yeah. At least I know how to make an origami cicada.” He smiled again at the thought, imagining Atem’s handsome features screwed up in concentration as he bent a crumpled up piece of unlucky origami paper. 

“I’ll have to teach you sometime. I bet even _ Joey _ could make an origami cicada with my help.” 

“I would love that. It’s a date.” Atem chuckled and winked at Yugi as he casually lifted the fork to his mouth once again. This time, Yugi coughed and averted his gaze. Unfortunately, it landed on yet another failed origami attempt decorating a nearby booth, and he grimaced in response. 

“Yeah, well…” 

“Do you miss them?” Atem’s hushed query jolted him from his reverie. He was surprised to find that he knew exactly what Atem was referring to, despite the lack of context, and it made the corners of his eyes prick with emotions he tried not to dwell on. 

“I… Yes. Yes, I do. Very much.” He sighed wearily, fixing his gaze on a particularly interesting knot in the wood of the table. An imperfection, but he found himself thankful for its existence in this moment, knowing that if he met Atem’s intensity head on his carefully maintained composure would come tumbling down. “They’ve always been there for me. Supported me, even though I didn’t pick the most… _ conventional _ of paths in life.” He lingered, idly tracing the outline of the knot with a finger as he continued. “It was my mom’s idea, actually. Sending me here so I’d have access to better teachers and institutions.” 

“She must be very proud of you.” Atem’s voice was somehow gentle but firm all at once, leaving no room for argument. 

“I hope so.” Yugi allowed himself just a few precious moments of quiet, finding that he was pleasantly surprised by how at peace he felt. Sometimes it felt… awkward to be around someone without any words to permeate the space, but with Atem, it didn’t feel unnatural at all. He could hear distant noises from the kitchen, the clatter of pots and pans being forcefully shoved about and orders being barked over the din. 

“Thank you.” 

Yugi’s finger stilled mid-trace, and finally, he peered up at Atem. “For what?” 

“For… so many things. For joining my team. For sharing more about yourself with me. For…_ this _.” He gestured vaguely about the space. And Yugi, Yugi felt truly happy. 

He smiled, a genuine, glowing kind of smile. “You’re welcome. And… thank you too. For… _ this _.” He copied Atem’s gesture, wide grin still refusing to leave his features. He felt an unfamiliar warmth blossom within at the easy smile Atem gave in return. 

A harsh beep from his phone cut into the moment, and Yugi hurriedly sifted through his bag to fish it out. “Damn. I forgot to tell Joey we decided to do dinner… I think I made him a bit worried.” He chewed his lip as he skimmed the message, sighing in relief when he realized that, as expected, Joey had also been too busy to meet up for dinner. “Oh, all good. I guess he went out for dinner with the guy he’s doing that project with.” Yugi peered over at Atem expectantly, wondering if he would drop any hints about the mysterious stranger’s identity or background. 

Atem snorted at the news, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he spoke. “Well, I hope he survives.” 

“Hope he survives?!” Yugi spluttered, nearly dropping his phone in shock. “What on earth is that supposed to mean?!” He knew that Atem liked to joke, but this seemed too out of left field not to be grounded in something real. 

“Well, I mean, Kaiba isn’t exactly the most…_ personable _ of students.” Atem stared at Yugi’s flustered expression in disbelief. “Wait a minute… You don’t know who he is, do you?” 

“No! What, am I supposed to?” Brow furrowed in confusion, he returned his attention to Joey’s message, frantically typing out a quick “Are you ok?” to his friend before placing his phone on the table. 

Atem exhaled calmly, looking at Yugi as if he half expected him to bolt. “Well, don’t freak out or anything, but… his family’s company is only one of the wealthiest and most influential in the _ world _. They make sizable donations to DPAC every year, and Kaiba is a bit… spoiled.” He said the last word almost as if it were a question, and Yugi got the feeling that ‘spoiled’ didn’t even begin to cover it. 

He shifted rapidly in his seat as if ready to leap up at a second’s notice, glancing to and fro and biting his lip with worry. He couldn’t stop eyeing his phone where it sat atop the table. _ Please, Joey… Just send me an update so I know you’re all right. _ Joey had been mugged once on his way home after a late night class, and Yugi was _ not _about to take any chances. He would leave now and rush right on over to his friend if it meant that he wouldn’t have to go home alone. 

“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?!” he hissed, pulling on his jacket so quickly that he nearly missed one of the sleeves. He grunted in annoyance as he struggled to compose himself. “Excuse me!” He nabbed a passing waiter and hastily requested take out boxes. 

Meanwhile, Atem was merely observing his every move with a raised eyebrow, making no effort to match Yugi’s pace. “Well, if it’ll make you feel better…” Resigned, he pulled out his phone and tapped the screen a few times, putting it up to his ear as he watched Yugi shove his remaining salad into a container. 

“What do you want?” Yugi heard a gravelly voice through the speaker, and he recognized it immediately as the tall stranger from before. _ Not very many people talk like that… _ He paused, staring at Atem. “Please check on Joey for me.” he mouthed, doing his best imitation of the pleading doe-eyes he saw in magazines. “Pretty please,” he whispered, putting his hands together and fluttering his lashes. 

Atem rolled his eyes at the over the top display, but Yugi was certain he saw a brief flicker of interest cross his features. “Where are you?” And, so soon, back to being all business. _Typical_. 

“What the hell does it matter to you?” 

And more faintly… “Wait, why are you on the phone?! We’re supposed to be workin’ so we can get dis over with and go _ home _!” Yugi’s eyes went wide at his friend's familiar voice, and he sagged with relief. He hadn’t truly thought Joey would be in danger from this Kaiba character, but still… You can never be too safe. 

“Shut up. We’d be done a lot sooner if you actually held up your end of the bargain, _ Wheeler _.” Yugi heard hints of Joey’s indignant retort come through the phone, but it wasn’t enough to make out the entire sentence. “I’ll drive you home, so just get your shit done,” Kaiba growled. 

“Well, thank you very much, Kaiba, but I think I can drive myself home,” Atem countered, winking in Yugi’s direction. Yugi was shocked that Atem felt comfortable enough around Kaiba to joke like that. From what little he’d seen and heard of the guy, he was not someone to be trifled with. _ But then again, I guess Atem is kind of the same way, _ he mused to himself. _ I wonder why it’s so easy for me to be around him… _

“Shut up, pipsqueak,” Kaiba snarled, rage coloring his voice even through the static reception of the phone. “I don’t know why you called, and I don’t care. Fuck off.” Followed by a beep and silence. 

Atem spun his phone around in his hand before placing it lightly atop the table. “And that’s that, Yugi. That’s how you deal with Seto Kaiba.” 

After a moment of silence, they both burst into laughter simultaneously, turning a few heads in the restaurant with their sudden outburst. 

“That was… I seriously can’t believe you did that,” Yugi giggled, face flushed from how much he’d laughed in the past hour. 

“Well, I’d be lying if I said that it was my usual approach to Kaiba, but… It was too good an opportunity to pass up. And, there’s the added bonus of getting to impress you,” he tacked on with a wink. 

Yugi chuckled in response, but paused when he realized that Atem was looking at him with a thoughtful expression. “Oh. You’re serious?” 

“Of course I’m serious. I keep telling you that.” Atem peered at him curiously, as if studying an opponent and searching for clues that might lead to victory. Yugi was beginning to feel more and more like prey under Atem’s watchful gaze, but perhaps… Perhaps he was ready to be chased. 

“Well, you know, you’re already so goddamn impressive as it is…” he mumbled, face reddening under Atem’s scrutiny. “You don’t have to risk your life by smack talking this Kaiba fellow to impress me.” 

“Mhm. Well, I’ll keep that in mind, but maybe I enjoy a bit of risk.” Atem leaned across the table and whispered, voice maddeningly low. “Adds to the thrill of the hunt.” 

Yugi coughed, reaching for his water as an excuse not to reply and downed what little remained in the glass in one gulp. 

Atem smiled knowingly at him and fetched what appeared to be a very, very expensive wallet out of his equally expensive looking bag. He didn’t know much about designer brands, but he was certain he’d seen Dolce and Gabbana before in fashion magazines he’d flipped through at the doctor’s office. “Wait, I can…” Yugi began scrabbling through the contents of his bag in search of his own, far less impressive, wallet, grumbling when he realized it must be buried beneath his notebooks and papers. “Just give me a-”

“Thank you, sir. I’ll be right back with your change.” _ Damn it! _

“That’s all right. Keep the change.” 

Yugi cursed inwardly, tearing his gaze away from the messy contents of his bag and glaring at Atem. Perfect, smirking, impeccable, _ sexy _ Atem. Wait, NO. Yugi shook his head, vigorously, trying not to fall prey to Atem’s charms. 

“I would have pitched in if you’d just-”

“Better luck next time, Yugi. You’ll need it.” Still smirking, Atem slid out of the booth and strode toward the door. “Are you coming or not?” Eyes dancing with mirth, he disappeared out into the night, leaving Yugi to scramble after him. 

* * *

The ride to his apartment was… surprisingly pleasant. He had enjoyed the night out with Atem more than he cared to admit, and he realized that he hoped it became a new tradition. Not that he would ever say that out loud, of course. 

He cleared his throat, pointing to the side. “And if you turn there we’ll be on Orchid St. It’s just a couple of blocks down on the right.” 

“Nice neighborhood,” Atem remarked, eyes flitting to the mix of apartments and houses dotting the road.

“Yeah, you’d think so,” Yugi laughed, twisting in his seat to face Atem. “But one time Joey got mugged on his way back from class.” 

Atem turned his gaze toward him sharply, and Yugi froze under the severity of his expression. _ Woops. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that… _

“I mean, it only happened once, so it wasn’t that big of a deal or anything!” he added hurriedly, rubbing his arm nervously and staring pointedly at Kuriboh, which he felt was a far safer bet at the moment. 

“Only once?” Atem muttered darkly, swerving into a worryingly tight parallel parking spot along the side of the road with enough force to make Yugi’s stomach clench in nervousness. 

“I’m really careful walking home! I even carry pepper spray! And usually Joey and I walk back together when one of us has a late night class or practice session…” he trailed off, realizing that he was speaking to Atem the same way he’d seen girls talk to their anxious boyfriends on TV. He blushed furiously, angling his head to the side in an attempt to hide it from Atem’s perceptive eyes. 

“Oh? Well, I do take solace in that, but I would like to start driving you home.” Atem’s tone was firm, and it was obvious that he didn’t think there was an argument to be had. 

Yugi groaned and hid his face in his hands. “It’s not that big of a deal. I promise I can look after myself. I’ve been doing it for long enough-” 

“I’m going to drive you home, and that’s that. I know that you’re capable, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t offer to help you. I’m in your life now, so why not take advantage of the fact that I can do this for you?” 

“Well, what about Joey…” Yugi mumbled, well aware that catching a ride home with Atem would leave his friend with no choice but to walk home alone some nights. 

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about him…” Atem replied slowly, as if waiting for Yugi to piece something together. _ Is he talking about Kaiba…?! That doesn’t really make me feel any better, _he wailed internally. 

“And besides, I can always drive both of you back. It’s not like I don’t have the space.” Yugi sighed, knowing that Atem wasn’t about to back down about this._ And Atem isn’t really the type to change his mind… _

“Ok,” Yugi relented, reaching out for his bag in the back seat and utilizing the dim lights of the Porsche interior to locate it. After he’d hoisted it onto his lap, he placed a hand on the door handle, giving Atem one last look before he stepped out into the night. “And, thank you. For everything.” He gave Atem a small smile before pushing the door open. 

“You’re welcome. And, Yugi?” 

“Yes?” Yugi paused, standing just outside the Porsche, his hand ready to give the door a shove. 

“I know how you feel. I… miss them too.” Yugi’s smile wavered for just a moment, his gaze softening in response. 

“Goodnight, Atem. I’ll see you soon.” He gave the door a gentle push, stepping away as Atem slipped out of the parking spot as easily as he’d pulled in, disappearing into the night with nothing more than the occasional streetlamp to mark the car’s receding form. 

It was only after it had completely passed out of sight that Yugi realized. _ The duel. We didn’t even talk about the DUEL. _

_ Fuck. _

* * *

Only a day had passed since his dinner date with Yugi, but Atem found himself wishing it was already time for their next lesson. It had been impossible not to think about him as he’d gone about his day, recalling how proud he’d felt when he made Yugi laugh… _ And how absolutely adorable he was when he couldn’t tear his eyes away from my lips… _

Atem tossed his jacket onto the nearby coat hanger with a sigh, noting that a familiar red number was already dangling from one of the hooks._ I should never have given him that extra key. _ He rolled his eyes, slipping off his shoes and stalking quietly through the hallway to the living room. _ A little bit of good, old fashioned fear… I mean, adrenaline… should do him good. Yes. He’s more than deserving. _

Atem peered about the corner, instantly spotting Duke in exactly the spot that he’d expected to find him- sprawled out carelessly atop the plush leather sofa with his earbuds in and his guard down. “That little…” He repressed a growl, closing his eyes and sighing to the heavens. Duke was an unbelievably talented breakdancer, but he was also unbearably annoying at times. Atem had given him a spare key to his apartment with the express intention of it being used only in an absolute emergency. 

“Absolute emergency, my ass…” he scoffed, shaking his head and narrowing his eyes as he rounded the corner and tip toed toward the sofa. He was now close enough to see that Duke’s eyes were closed, and he smiled devilishly to himself, taking up position directly above his friend. He plastered an evil grin on his face and blew ever so lightly on his face. Duke’s eyebrows scrunched up for just a moment, and, slowly, he peeled open his eyes. 

“AAAHGHHH!” He screamed, toppling sideways over the sofa in an attempt to escape. Hands on his hips, Atem threw back his head and laughed, relishing the moment for what it was worth. Having scrambled to his knees, Duke ripped his earbuds out, and his previously horror-filled expression morphed into one of extreme displeasure. 

“Oh, no. I don’t think so. You do not have the right to look at me like that considering that you’ve abused the key I gave you, _ yet again _.” 

“Well, as co-captain of the team, I’d like to remind_ you _ that we’re supposed to start full on practices in a week! You haven’t exactly been forthcoming with setting up a meeting,” Duke huffed, finally pulling himself to his feet and dusting himself off with a grimace. 

“I will admit that I’ve been… a bit distracted.” 

“Exactly! _ Honestly _.” Duke mumbled, falling onto one of the nearby chairs and grabbing his bag off the coffee table. It didn’t take him long to find what he was looking for, and he pulled it out with an exaggerated “Aha!” 

“You remembered,” Atem remarked, quirking an eyebrow in interest. _ Maybe tonight will be more interesting than I’d hoped. _

“I have to admit, I don’t really understand why you want to play Duel Monsters all of a sudden… ” 

“You were highly ranked as well, weren’t you?” Atem interrupted, retreating to the kitchen and pulling open a drawer that he used to store all of his competition-ready decks. He paused when his eyes landed on one in particular, and he grinned in anticipation. _ Perfect. It’s about time to work some magic, after all. _

He retrieved it from the drawer and sat across from Duke, already strategizing. 

“I mean… I was highly ranked, I guess. But, I’ve got nothing on you.” 

“Mhm” Atem was barely listening at this point, flipping through his deck and quickly re-memorizing the exact amount of each spell, trap, and monster card it held. He’d need that information readily available to discern what strategy was best. He was no stranger to duel monsters, and he felt the familiar pre-duel thrill rushing through his veins, igniting his competitive side. 

“So, are you really going to duel that Yugi Muto kid? I feel kinda bad for him…” he muttered, shuffling his cards and eyeing Atem curiously. 

Atem and Duke traded, each splitting the other’s deck. “Oh, I’m confident he’ll be able to hold his own. But holding your own isn’t winning.” He drew his starting hand, grinning at Duke from behind the fanned out cards. “And that’s just something he’s going to have to learn the hard way.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Yugi's training montage. Pre-duel hype!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! 
> 
> Welcome to another installment of my dance fic. It's still Puzzle June, and I'm so immensely happy! :D This chapter is yet another celebration of YGO and how much of an impact it's had on my life. 
> 
> I hope that you enjoy this update, and as always, I appreciate any and all comments! I'm not always on it about replying right away, but you can rest assured knowing that those comments fuel me to write unlike anything else and make me grin like a maniac. <3 We have such a supportive fandom!
> 
> Thanks for all that you do!  
PoP

Yugi and Joey walked side by side along the narrow sidewalk, reverting momentarily to single file as a cyclist zoomed by- too close for comfort. “I wish they wouldn’t do that,” Yugi mumbled, upping his pace to match Joey’s longer stride. 

“Yeah, me too. It’s annoying as heck.” Joey quickly glanced from right to left as they approached the pedestrian crossing, not trusting any nearby drivers to heed their presence and actually obey the traffic laws that prioritized their right of way. “All right. Looks like we should be good ta go.” 

They hurried across the pock-marked pavement, breathing a sigh of relief once they were safely situated on the other side. Yugi shielded his eyes with a hand as he peered up at the shop signs lining the boulevard. It was Saturday, and there was no shortage of cars parked along the tree-lined street, shoppers flitting between the various storefronts with fancy bags draped around their arms like trophies. Fall was truly settling in now, staking its claim on Domino city with an abundance of beautiful leaves sprawled about the space, making its presence impossible to ignore. 

As he and Joey started for the only shop without a steady stream of foot traffic, the leaves crunched pleasantly beneath their feet. “So, this is your usual place, right?” Yugi asked, tilting his head as they neared in an attempt to make out the worn words on the sign dangling above the doorway. 

“Yep, dis is the place!” he stated proudly, hands on his hips as they stood directly in line with the door. Yugi raised an eyebrow quizzically, finally close enough to read the faded script overhead and coming up short as to why anyone would want to name a game shop “Devil’s Den”. _ Oh wait, it’s actually… Devlin’s Den? What the heck is a Devlin? _

Brows furrowed in thought, a puzzled, “Mhm,” was all Yugi managed in response to the unexpected sight as his brain mulled over possible explanations. 

“I know the name seems a bit… unusual…” Joey trailed off, scratching his chin in thought. “But it’s just a play on the owner’s name or somethin’ like dat. Anyways, let’s go! You’re gonna love dis place.” 

Joey tugged Yugi inside the shop, and the soft chime of a bell attached to the doorway hearkened their arrival. Yugi’s first impression of the shop was… not at all what he’d expected based on the name. Lining the walls nearest the door were shelves overflowing with board games of all shapes, sizes, and colors; at a glance, it was impossible to tell what system they used to organize them. 

Slightly further down were glass cases that housed a wide variety of trading cards. And at the back of the shop, there were several long fold-out tables that were clearly there to offer a space for visitors and regulars alike to test out board games or try out a new deck._ I wonder if they do tournaments… _Yugi wondered to himself, the nearly forgotten thrill of a challenging opponent tugging him forward of its own accord. 

“It’s pretty sweet, ain’t it?” Joey’s voice, laced with the same pride from before, jolted him from his reverie, and he blinked. 

“Yeah… It’s been ages since I came to a game shop,” he whispered, feeling a twinge of regret as he thought of all he’d missed out on. _ I can’t get caught up thinking like that… Dancing is my life, and I wouldn’t change that for the world. Besides, I’m here now. _

Something in his expression must have clued Joey into the fact that he was thinking about something upsetting, as he bent down to scrutinize the situation. “Yug… Are you ok?” His brows creased in concern, and Yugi shook himself free of such debilitating thoughts. 

“I’m fine, Joey,” he answered softly with a smile. “I just… realized that it’s been too long since I gave myself the chance to enjoy this.” He spun in place, admiring the beautiful art on the featured board game cases and sighing happily at how familiar it all felt. Even after years of neglecting this hobby, he felt immediately at home in this strangely named game shop. 

“Well, you’re here now! Let’s go check out some a da new games!” He rushed over to a nearby shelf that had a laminated placard reading “New Releases” taped to the top. Yugi chuckled as he strolled over to join his friend, noticing that several popular video game characters had also been taped to the sides of the shelf; he was particularly excited to spot Mega Man in an action pose. 

“Wow… There are so many I’ve never heard of.” He trailed a finger along the titles as he read, shocked by how unfamiliar they all were. 

“Well, bein’ outta the loop for awhile will do that to ya,” Joey laughed. Suddenly, he sucked in a breath and yanked one of the titles out, peering at the back with interest. “Hm,_ finally _ ! I’ve been waitin’ for this one to come out for _ ages _!” He ambled off toward one of the tables in the back, staring at the game box with rapt attention. 

“Don’t trip!” Yugi called out after him with a chuckle. He knew that feeling all too well. “Well, I guess this gives me a chance to look at their Duel Monsters case without worrying about boring Joey half to death.” Yugi was nothing if not thorough when it came to choosing cards for his deck, and he was probably going to spend a fair amount of time poring through what they had on offer. 

As he stood before the duel monsters case, he found his heart beating faster in response to the impressive number of cards it housed. He was a fish starved of the sea, feeling at last as if he had returned home, yet finding the wide expanse before him simultaneously terrifying. 

He gulped, eyes roving the case with unwavering intensity. He had done plenty of research in the past couple days about how much the game had changed, and he’d managed to formulate a way to adapt his previous deck to the current meta game. He just needed to find a few specific cards to augment it… 

Yugi felt more than heard someone approach from behind, and he quickly stood up from where he’d been crouching to get a look at several trap cards on the bottom shelf, turning to greet the stranger. 

Standing before him was a tall man with long, jet-black hair that had been tied into a loose, stylish ponytail. Not unlike Atem, he too had an ear pierced, but his earring was a dangling, black and white dice. “Hey. Haven’t seen you around here before.” His voice was pleasant, but a very different pitch than Atem’s, Yugi noted. 

“Yeah! This is my first time here, actually… Was it that obvious?” Yugi winced, trailing a hand through his hair and avoiding the stranger’s striking, emerald eyes. _ I didn’t even know that eye color existed… _

“Nah. I’m just here all the time, so I was surprised to see an unfamiliar face,” the stranger laughed lightly, clearly attempting to put Yugi at ease. “The name’s Duke, by the way.” He held out a hand, and Yugi was momentarily taken aback. It wasn’t often that he met new people, and the American custom of shaking hands was not something he had fully adjusted to. 

After a slight, barely noticeable pause, he held out his hand as he introduced himself in return. “Yugi. Yugi Muto. I’m a student at DPAC, and Joey,” he gestured toward the row of tables at the back with a quick nod, “is a good friend of mine.” He put on his most charismatic smile, hoping to make a good impression on one of the regulars- especially since he wanted to stop by here more frequently from here on out. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite seem to do the trick. As their hands connected, Yugi spotted a glimmer of some unknown emotion cross over Duke’s features. Was it surprise? Or something more sinister… He couldn’t be sure. 

“Muto…” he mumbled, giving Yugi an obvious once over. Yugi didn’t like the feeling of being appraised, and he shied back in response to Duke’s roving eyes. 

“Uh… yeah. Is that a problem…?” Yugi’s brows furrowed in concern. He got the feeling that Duke must know him from somewhere to react this way, but he was also certain they’d never met. 

The door chimed as a small group of people traipsed in, a gust of cool fall air passing through the space. Duke shook himself, as if recovering from a trance, and he cast his gaze toward the front of the shop with a frown. 

“No. No, it’s not a problem. Actually… There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.” Duke didn’t wait for Yugi to respond, suddenly grabbing a hold of his arm and gently tugging him toward the row of tables before he could protest. 

Yugi stood across from Duke, whose strange behavior was setting him on edge. He wasn’t quite ready to sit down until he had a better handle on what his new acquaintance might want. 

Duke seemed to realize this, sighing and looking away in embarrassment. “Sorry… I should have just said this right off the bat, but I was a bit caught up in my thoughts.” Yugi merely quirked an eyebrow in response, waiting for him to continue. “I’ve heard a lot about you.” 

“You’ve… Wait, what?” This was not what he’d been expecting. _ Although, I don’t really know what I was expecting. A fan? As if. _

“I’m the co-captain of the dance team.” 

“You’re the-!”

“Shhh!” Duke interrupted with a hiss, beckoning to the chair across from him and motioning with his eyes for Yugi to sit. “We can’t let that information get out just yet… The team announcements haven’t been formally made, and we can’t risk-”

“They haven’t?!” Yugi balked, so caught off guard by Duke’s statement that he missed the look of annoyance his loud interruption had earned him. Duke gave him a thin-lipped stare, eyes narrowed as he waited for Yugi to catch on. “Oh… uh, sorry.” 

“Anyways, as I was_ saying _ , the announcements haven’t been formally made, so we have to be careful about what we say. I assumed that Atem had told you as much. _ Honestly _. And he wonders why I don’t trust him to take care of things by himself,” he snorted. 

Yugi felt a brief stab of some unknown emotion course through him. _ Wow… Duke must know Atem really well. And he’s the co-captain too, so he must be an amazing dancer. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen him in some of the competition videos I’ve watched, now that I think about it… _

“Anyways, none of that is important right now. We’ll be starting a formal practice schedule next week, since everything will be finalized on Monday.” Duke waved a hand as if to say, ‘that’s that’, and leaned in closer with an eager expression, his earring swaying at the sudden movement. “What I _ actually _ want to talk about is something _ far _more important.” 

Yugi gulped, completely clueless as to what Duke might be referencing. “Yeah?”

“The _ duel _! Duh!” Duke glanced nervously about the room as if to ensure there were no spies lying in wait. As if Atem were invested enough to hire a detective. “You do realize who you’re going up against, don’t you?” he hissed, voice low and eyes still roving, searching Yugi’s face for a sign of awareness. 

“I mean, yeah? How would I not know? I’m the one who challenged him…” Yugi replied, tilting his head in confusion at the strange line of questioning. 

“No, not THAT.” Duke groaned and facepalmed, staring at Yugi with something akin to pity. “Atem used to be a pro player! Like, _ national _ league level!” 

Yugi blinked and turned his head slowly. _ Ok… where’s the hidden camera? _

“If you want to beat him, you’re going to need some _ serious _ help, kid.” 

“I’m not a kid! And also, there’s no way that’s true!” Yugi scoffed, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. “I would definitely know if my ido-... I mean, if my dance teacher,” he amended slowly, “had some kick-ass past as a pro duelist.” 

Duke merely stared at him and shook his head slowly, eyes sympathetic. “Well, you don’t have to believe me, but it’s true. He used to play as a representative from Egypt, and he was insanely good. IS insanely good. I should know, he just whooped me the other day.” He shuddered, as if the memory alone was enough to bring on a nightmare in broad daylight. 

“But… How can that be…” Yugi whispered, thoughts becoming increasingly jumbled as he attempted to process this bizarre turn of events. 

“You’re lucky you’ve got me.” Yugi looked up at Duke sharply, attempting to discern if what he’d said was intended as a joke. “I mean, my family owns a game shop, and I used to be pretty decent myself! I can help hook you up with some top of the line cards.” 

“What’s the catch?” Yugi replied instantly, eyes narrowed in suspicion. _ There’s no such thing as a free lunch _ . _ Life has taught me that. _

“Catch?” Duke was silent for a moment, as if utterly lost about why Yugi would be concerned. “There is no _ catch _,” he scoffed, as if the very concept was offensive to him. 

“Well, there’s simply no way that’s tr-”

“I just want _ revenge _ , Yugi. Good, old fashioned, _ revenge _.” Duke’s emerald eyes were aflame now, their burning intensity taking Yugi off guard. “Surely that’s something you can understand.” And it was. Yugi understood the language of revenge. 

“Well, perhaps we’ve got ourselves a deal,” he grinned. 

“I hope your confidence is founded, because you’re going to need every ounce of it if you want to stand a chance against Atem.” 

“Trust me. I can walk the walk.” Yugi was proud of himself for integrating one of the English idioms he’d recently learned into conversation, and his grin widened. Duke nodded appreciatively. 

“Then, let’s get to business. When’s the duel?” 

“Tomorrow night.” 

“Tomorrow night?! Damn, kid. You work fast.” Duke gazed at him with newfound respect, eyebrows raised. “I like you.” 

“You’ll like me even more after I win,” he answered wittily, giving in to his increasing excitement about the match and embracing his need to talk big. It was a habit he often allowed himself to engage in before big competitions, but it went against his normal behaviour. Although, he couldn’t deny that it amped him up… _ And that it’s kinda fun every now and then _, he mused internally. 

Duke laughed a hearty laugh in response to Yugi’s retort. “And I can see already why Atem likes you.” Yugi’s heart nearly stopped as he processed what Duke had said. _ Did Atem actually say that out loud?! _

“Did… uh… Atem say anything about me…? Justoutofcuriosity,” he added in a rush, the words tumbling from his mouth as he averted his gaze. 

“Oh, a few things,” Duke replied with a shit eating grin. “But I’m not going to tell you a single one of them until you win.” 

Yugi glared at him, a pout taking over his features. “Hmph.” 

“Should be easy for you, anyways… Right?” Duke was all smugness now, attempting to push Yugi’s buttons and get him amped up for the duel. 

“Well, yeah!” Yugi was just a bit flustered, and he attempted to redirect the flow of the conversation. “Anyways, are there any tips you can give me about the type of deck he uses?” Yugi was all business now, ready to delve into the depths of duel monsters and reacquaint himself with his old hobby.

They sat, heads together, while Duke told Yugi everything he knew about the various decks in Atem’s possession. Yugi bit his lip in concentration, nabbing a piece of scrap paper lying nearby and furiously jotting down notes and ideas. 

He interrupted occasionally when Duke threw out an unfamiliar card name, and he kept a list of the cards in question on his phone to reference later. _ The game has evolved so much since I last played… But at least the core mechanics are the same. _He gritted his teeth in resolve, gripping the pencil so tightly that his knuckles turned white. 

“Hey, Yug. Whatcha up to?” Joey sat down in the folding chair beside him, peering curiously over at the sheet of paper he’d scrawled messy notes all over. 

“Hey, Joey.” Yugi instantly felt some of the tension leave his body. He’d become so caught up in card names and deck tropes that he’d nearly forgotten there was a world outside of duel monsters. He coughed and placed the pencil to the side, turning in his seat to look at Joey. “Have you met Duke?” 

“Yeah, a coupla times. He’s a talented duelist himself, yah know!” Joey grinned at Duke from across the table, sitting up straighter than before as his eyes narrowed just a bit. “Heck, I still haven’t forgotten our last encounter.” 

Yugi was pleased to know that Duke and Joey were already on good terms, and he smiled shyly as he glanced between the two of them. _ Surely anyone that Joey is friends with can’t be all that bad. And Atem trusts him, too. _

“Just getting Yugi here prepped for the duel of his life.” Joey nodded solemnly, all prior traces of his joke-y behaviour disappearing. Yugi had already told him about his upcoming bet with Atem, and he was well aware how nervous Yugi was about the situation. “We don’t have much time left. Let’s get back to business.” 

Yugi gulped and picked up his pencil once more, knowing full well that Duke was right. If he wanted to claim victory, he was going to have to focus. _ It’s now or never. _

* * *

Atem stared blankly at the mirror before him, the only sign of his inner turmoil reflected in the way he held his fists. Just a_ bit _ more tension than usual… He closed his eyes, indulging in a moment of meditation, choosing to embrace the silence rather than deem it oppressive. 

_ Don’t think. Ugh. But telling myself not to think just makes me think more. This meditation nonsense is bullshit. _Though his eyes were still closed, it was obvious that he was frustrated, his nose scrunched up in annoyance and forehead creased in concentration.

A faint meow from the doorway finally coaxed his eyes open, and he sighed wearily as he relaxed his shoulders. “Was that you agreeing with my inner monologue?” he inquired, twisting in place to eye the newcomer with an eyebrow raised. He received another meow in response. “I’ll take that as a yes.” 

Riboh slunk into the room, purring contentedly as he rubbed up against Atem’s jeans. “Is this a bad idea…?” he whispered, dropping his head into his hands and groaning. Riboh halted his movements and sat in front of the floor length mirror, staring up at Atem expectantly. “Oh. So _ now _ you choose to be silent.” He huffed, giving himself a once over and choosing to ignore his cat companion. 

He’d decided to dress up for the occasion, donning a pair of Saint Laurent jeans and pairing it with a deceptively simple, smugly-fitting monogram motif T-shirt from Burberry. He wasn’t sure what Yugi would be wearing, but he knew for certain that he was clever. _ I wouldn’t put it past him to try and distract me with clothes as well _… “All’s fair in love and war,” he mumbled, running a hand through his hair anxiously and glancing at his watch. 

It was just about time for him to leave. 

He left the mirror and its knowing reflection behind, heading straight for the kitchen and becoming utterly lost in his thoughts along the way. Hands in his pockets, and brows furrowed, he barely realized that his phone was buzzing atop the coffee table. 

Atem smirked as he glanced at the caller ID, accepting the call and answering with a cocky, “Oh, so now _ you’re _ calling _ me _, hm?” He hadn’t expected Kaiba to contact him, especially considering the circumstances of their most recent encounter. 

“Shut up. I need you to do something for me.” Atem narrowed his eyes, suddenly suspicious. He had a feeling that he knew what Kaiba was going to request, and he wasn’t in a particularly benevolent mood. Not to mention the absolutely horrendous timing. He switched the phone to his left hand and opened the kitchen drawer that housed his deck collection, opting to stay silent and wait for him to continue of his own volition. “Are you fucking ignoring me? Whatever. You know what I want. Use the card. I need data. And _ you _ need _ me _. Don’t let me down, Sennen,” he growled, hanging up abruptly before Atem had a chance to respond. 

He took in a ragged breath, dropping his phone onto the counter. The clatter of the plastic case on spotless granite echoed about the otherwise quiet interior. _ Fucking ridiculous. _He slammed an open palm onto the surface as well, staring daggers at a chosen spot on the wall and attempting to regain some semblance of control. Much easier said than done.

He’d already decided to use his Pendulum Magicians deck in the duel against Yugi, and he knew precisely what Kaiba was requesting. No, demanding. His family owned the franchise, and he undoubtedly needed data about one of the newly released cards. A task he only trusted skilled players with. And unfortunately, Kaiba was right. He **did** need him. 

Atem knew precisely which card Kaiba was talking about, as he’d recently gifted it to him while he’d been waiting to meet up with Yugi for a practice session. _ At least ‘gifted’ is one way to put it. Feels more like a burden than anything else. _He growled angrily, yanking the card in question out of the drawer and slapping it down alongside his deck of choice. It had been placed in a special Kaiba Corp sleeve, much to his chagrin. A blatant sign of what he felt was his own traitorous reliance on the behemoth of a company. 

“WHY?!” He gripped the counter top with both hands so tightly that he felt just the faintest glimmer of pain on the edge of his otherwise consumed thoughts. Nearly any other situation would have been more bearable, but of course Kaiba had chosen this particular moment to blackmail him into complying. He cursed himself, wishing, as he so often did, that things didn’t have to be this way. His past was one hell of a mess, but he’d be damned if he let it get in the way of his future with Yugi. “Not that I’m even going to have a future with him,” he whispered, head hanging dejectedly._ I’m a goddamn fool if I think that’s a given. _

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. When he opened them again, he’d regained some composure. There was still obvious tension in his jaw, but his eyes were sparkling with newfound determination. He stared intensely at the card, as if willing it into submission, before reaching out for it and slipping it into his deck. He took solace in knowing that his odds of drawing it from a deck of 60 cards were slim. _ At least, if things don’t drag on for too long. _

Atem was nothing if not sportsmanlike, and the last thing he wanted was for Yugi to think that he’d been willing to resort to an underhanded tactic to win. After all, Kaiba couldn’t fault him for putting off the data collection if he didn’t even draw the damn card. “This might be the first time I’m counting on the heart of the cards to ensure I _ don’t _ draw something,” he grumbled, grabbing his car keys from a bowl atop the counter and slipping his deck into the messenger bag he had slipped over his shoulder. 

It was an utterly bizarre feeling. The usual anticipation he felt leading up to another encounter with Yugi was still present, but it was laced with an undeniable, needling sense of dread that seemed to work its way deeper into his psyche with every step he took. It felt as if the carefully constructed walls he’d built to protect himself and lock out demons of the past were crumbling all around him. 

He took in a shuddering breath as he stared uneasily into the darkened hallway of his apartment from the outside in. The dim lighting drowned the interior in swaying shadows, giving the familiar space an eerily dreamlike quality. 

_ Things aren’t always what they seem. I can only hope that Yugi understands. _ Jaw set, he gently drew the door closed while listening intently for the telltale _ click _ to signal it was safely locked. Atem gazed at the orbs of light dotting either side of the street as he strode confidently toward his car. _ When one door closes, another opens. _


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *crawls out of hiding* 
> 
> I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out! Honestly, it was... tricky to write. Just the other day I found my motivation returning in full force, so I sat down and typed with reckless abandon. 
> 
> NOTE: There is a flashback in this chapter. I hope that doesn't confuse anyone. 
> 
> This story has taken on a life of its own, and there is a bit of angst lurking in the corner now... I hope this chapter isn't too serious for you all! XD I promise that there will still be plenty of fluff. Our boys just need to get through some things first and open up to each other a bit more. 
> 
> ALSO: I am still planning on making the discord. *sobs* I just haven't been on it lately, so I have added that to my more pressing list of things to work on. 
> 
> Thank you for your support! I'd appreciate any and all comments and feedback! <3 I am really curious to see what you all think of this chapter, hehe. 
> 
> Yours,   
PoP

It wasn’t often that Yugi found himself feeling regretful. He tended to make a decision and stick with it no matter the consequences, which was a trait that had served him rather well over the years. 

He and Joey hadn’t gotten along well at first, but Yugi knew that if he gave him a chance they could become fast friends. After all, he could just make out the lonely, aching boy that was reaching desperately out for attention beneath Joey’s carefully crafted exterior of cruel teasing; his grandfather had taught him that it was often people who needed help the most that lashed out at those around them. A defense mechanism, of sorts. 

Never once did he regret deciding to befriend Joey, despite the trials and tribulations along the way. Something within him just…  _ knew _ that it was right. He couldn’t quite place what that something might be… Some form of instinct, perhaps? Or maybe the fact that he saw his own loneliness reflected in the depths of Joey’s eyes…? He really couldn’t be sure. 

And, it was thanks to his unwavering commitment to ballet that he’d landed a spot at DPAC in the first place, stepping away from the comforts of home to pursue his ultimate passion. There was simply no room in his life for regret. No room to question his decisions. 

At least, that’s what he kept telling himself as he stared, brow furrowed and jaw clenched, at the table before him. 

He was every bit the picture of focus, eyes roving over the cards laid out on the table with nauseating speed and a calculating glint, leaving a trail of simmering heat in their wake. 

This was not at all the duel that he had anticipated. 

Atem was… calm before him. Eerily calm. It was not unlike how Yugi imagined it must feel to exist in the eye of a hurricane. What would it be like… Knowing that all around you a storm raged, wreaking havoc on everything it touched. And yet, you alone existed in the one place that managed to evade its blind wrath. 

His eyes flitted upward, making contact with Atem’s from across the table. He was thankful for the table. Not only for the purpose of the duel, but as a  _ barrier _ . There was a kind of frantic energy surrounding Atem tonight, crackling into existence just on the edges of his radar. He wasn’t quite sure he was ready to touch it. 

It was strange, seeing him like this. He was usually so much more emotional… So much more  _ expressive  _ around Yugi. He didn’t know what to think about this strange development, but he had a feeling that this numbing serenity might spell his doom. The duel would be decided by the one who managed to maintain his composure through till the end, and Yugi wasn’t certain he was winning in that department right now. 

Not to mention, Atem had rocked up wearing yet another ensemble of what had to be designer clothes, and he was doing everything in his power not to let his eyes, and thus his focus, linger. He was thankful that he’d let Joey cajole him into wearing one of his nicer shirts, or else he would have looked even more ridiculous as Atem’s opponent. Leave it to Joey’s insufferable teasing to come in handy for once. 

“Well.” Yugi coughed lightly to interrupt the weighty silence and halt the flow of his thoughts. After a moment, he drew, only casting a cursory glance at the new card before sliding it alongside the others in his hand. 

Tea was taking orders at the register, but Yugi could feel her concerned gaze burning into his back, even from their table tacked into the corner of the cafe. Luckily, it wasn’t particularly busy, which was fairly surprising considering the time of day. They received a few curious glances, primarily from customers passing by to access the restrooms, but they didn’t draw a crowd. Small mercies. 

Yugi bit his lip, staring at Atem’s phone. It was settled sideways in the middle of the table, the bright display reflecting their remaining life points. They’d agreed to both start with 8,000, and Yugi was down to 1,500. But, Atem only had 800 life points remaining…  _ I’m winning.  _

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, centering himself. He counted to ten, imagining that he was walking along the beach, waves lapping gently closer before eventually submerging his feet in the cool water. Allowing himself to relax now would almost certainly result in his defeat. 

He had done some research about Atem’s play style after Duke informed him of his past as a pro level player, which had led him to the realization that Atem’s life points almost always sunk lower than his opponent’s. But, naturally, that didn’t mean that he lost in the end. He wouldn’t be one of the most feared pro players around if that were the case.

Yugi’s eye twitched, and he grimaced, recalling a particularly interesting match in which Atem had actually won with only 50 life points remaining. He didn’t want a repeat of that. Not here, and not today. 

His eyes flashed open, and he forced himself to match Atem’s carefully neutral expression.  _ After everything, you wanna give me a poker face today, huh? Fine. Two can play at that game.  _ He placed a card face down in his magic and trap zone before ending his turn with a brisk nod. 

One of the cards in Atem’s hand had a different protective sleeve than the rest, and he was certain that some element of his strategy hinged on it. But what could it possibly be? 

So far his entire deck had been themed after the Pendulum Magicians trope, which was not something he’d been familiar with before his training session with Duke. It certainly suited him… Something about the concept of seething, volatile magic felt so right when played by Atem. Maybe it was partially due to the fact that, right now, Yugi felt wildly confused by what Atem was up to. It was as if he were facing a dark magician capable of conjuring the most powerful of foes without so much as batting an eye. 

He’d come into this duel expecting passion, wit, and intrigue, only to discover that the Atem he was facing had almost nothing in common with the one he’d come to know over the past several weeks. At least he’d managed to prepare himself somewhat with footage from prior competitions. He hadn’t been  _ completely  _ blindsided. 

Yugi opened his mouth as if to speak, but snapped it shut when he caught sight of Atem drawing from his deck. Everything about the way he moved was so elegant and precise. The harshly beautiful movement reminded him of an executioner drawing his blade, and he gulped at the image his mind had conjured. 

“Well, this has certainly been interesting, Yugi.” His eyes snapped up to meet Atem’s, widening fractionally at the fact that his facial expression was still unchanged. “But…” he paused, the barest hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “I’m afraid it ends here.” 

Yugi’s heart nearly stopped as he stared at Atem’s slender fingers gripping the card he’d been oh-so curious about only moments before. The anticipation was palpable, but he refused to let any emotion show on his face. He stared blankly ahead as the events unfolded. 

It was… a card he had never heard of before. “The Dancer’s Will”. How fitting. He choked out a laugh, short and burdened by tendrils of thorn-like irony. 

“You’ll have to forgive me.” For the first time during the entirety of their duel, Atem’s eyes were swirling with a hint of barely repressed emotion. An unspoken secret that played out only in the confines of his crimson irises. Beads of condensation on a pane of glass that betrayed something about what lay beneath. But what… 

Yugi didn’t have to read the description to know that it was over. 

* * *

_ Atem sat slumped against the rather drab sofa, frowning petulantly at the ridiculousness of it all. He couldn’t understand why he had to deal with this, when the claims made against him were so obviously false.  _

_ Somewhere in the stark, inhospitable room, a clock was ticking- its constant beat a metronome from hell, reminding him of the thankless passage of time. There was nothing he could do to slow it.  _

_ “Mr. Sennen?” a kind voice called. A woman stepped out of a nearby doorway and beckoned him to follow after making eye contact from across the room. He sighed but made to stand; as much as he wished he could up and leave, this was something he had little to no control over.  _

_ He needed to know.  _

_ After breathing in deeply, he grabbed his bag and stalked toward the door, which was slowly drifting shut now that the woman had retreated. Pushing forward and following her down an empty hall, he found himself in yet another stark room with yet another drab sofa. He pursed his lips, making an effort to keep his eyes from roving, and chose a place atop the disgustingly plush leather.  _

_ “The doctor will be in with you in just a moment.”  _

_ And, silence. Blessed silence. There were no clocks to haunt him here. Though he couldn’t decide which was worse… His thoughts? Or the steady tick of the second hand…  _

_ He hunched forward, allowing his hair to frame his face and hide him from the world and attempting to reign in his wandering thoughts.  _

_ His respite was far too brief.  _

_ “Ah, Mr. Sennen.” An unfamiliar voice had him lifting his head.  _

_ “Why am I here?” The doctor, a middle aged man with spectacles and laugh lines, paused at the unexpected question. Well, unexpected to him. Atem had been planning it from the start. There was nothing he wanted more than to escape the confines of this room, but before he could do that, he needed answers.  _

_ “I apologize. I was under the impression that you had been informed of the accusations leveled against you.” Atem’s eyes narrowed as the doctor settled into his chair and typed up a password to activate the computer at his desk. He swiveled the chair and faced him with a look that Atem hated instantly.  _ ** _Put-on kindness_ ** _ . Like coming across a mouth-wateringly beautiful candy tucked artfully within a store display. Appearing so sweet on the outside… but made of nothing more than bitter plastic.  _

_ If he truly cared, he would have helped clear the air already. Or perhaps sent word ahead about what  _ ** _accusations_ ** _ he would be facing.  _

_ The doctor seemed to take Atem’s silence as an excuse to continue. “I apologize. I’m Dr. Worthy. I should have introduced myself sooner.” Atem merely stared at him, leaning back and crossing his arms. He didn’t want to risk giving anything away when he still wasn’t certain what exactly he was being accused of and what the surrounding circumstances were. Maybe he could salvage this… make them see the truth for what it was.  _

_ After all, why would a rising star such as himself risk his career? It made absolutely no sense.  _

_ “I’m very thankful that you took time out of your rehearsal to meet with me today. You’ve been studying ballet for what… over 10 years now?” Despite the question, there was still nothing worth audibly replying to. Instead, he graced the fool with a curt nod.  _

_ “I am the one who processed your test results. I think you know what I’m going to say.” He gazed at Atem with pity, and it took everything in his rapidly slipping willpower not to allow his disdain to show on his face. If he wanted to come out of this intact, he was going to have to play his cards carefully.  _ ** _Very_ ** _ carefully.  _

_ “You have so much promise, Mr. Sennen. I can’t believe that you decided to take such drastic measures. You do realize that these results require your disqualification as well as a mandatory period of dismissal from competitions?”  _

_ For the first time during their discussion, he couldn’t control himself. He gulped, feeling his heart rate spike and his palms begin to sweat.  _

_ “Do you understand, Mr. Sennen?”  _

_ Atem  _ ** _was_ ** _ beginning to understand. Beginning to understand just how royally fucked he was.  _

* * *

Yugi was still staring blankly at the table when Tea wrapped up her shift and shuffled nervously closer. 

“Yugi…? Are- are you all right?” The concern was evident in both her tone as well as the unhurried, deliberate steps she was approaching him with. It took a while for her words to register, but he nodded numbly once his splintered focus managed to process that a response was in order. She heaved a sigh in relief and sat across from him, occupying the spot where Atem had been sitting during their duel. “What happened? Do you want to talk about it?” It looked as if she wanted to reach out to him, but she bit her lip and held her hands in her lap. 

Yugi forced himself to lift his gaze and frowned when he realized just how worried Tea was. He hated making his friends worry needlessly about him, and there was nothing quite like her pinched expression to jolt him from his inner turmoil. He took a deep breath before replying to ensure that his voice wouldn’t waver. “I’m fine, Tea. I just… didn’t expect that, that’s all.” 

And he really, truly hadn’t. Not only was he taken aback by the loss, but by the fact that Atem had immediately excused himself following its closure. He’d barely gotten a look at Atem’s expression before he disappeared out the side door, pulling his phone to his ear and practically speed walking out of the establishment. 

He groaned, dropping his head into his hands and wanting nothing more than to wail out loud at the injustice of it all. It wasn’t supposed to end this way. Although, he didn’t really know what it was he’d been expecting when he decided to challenge a national level player. If anything, he should be proud of the fact that he’d managed to hold his own until the very end. 

“I just-!” he started, his enthusiasm halting abruptly when he realized he didn’t know where to begin. “I don’t even know.” He shook his head. “I just can’t believe I thought this would end any differently than it did,” he muttered weakly, eyes closed and fingers threaded through his hair. Defeat was visible in every inch of his hunched over posture. 

“Oh, Yugi.” Tea sighed thoughtfully, clenching her fists. “You did your best, and that’s all that matters. Besides, it’s not like you…” She paused, nervousness creeping up to replace the concern. “It’s not like you bet anything…  _ importan _ t on this, right?” 

Yugi lifted his head and stared at her, expression blank. He wasn’t sure what she qualified as ‘important’ in this scenario, and he wasn’t about to guess. 

“If you did, you know we can get the authorities involved! We can protect you! We can-” Yugi interrupted her passionate tirade with an amused chuckle, and she blinked at the sudden display of emotion, fist still held aloft from where she’d raised it during her mini rant. She smiled gently and lowered her hand before continuing. “Well, thankfully, it seems like that’s not the case.” 

“I’m fine, Tea. Honestly, I think I’m more surprised that he disappeared so quickly after the duel. I guess I thought that he would… I don’t know… want to suss out details for our  _ date _ or something.” Yugi chuckled again, but this time it was harsh. Cold. He felt a sudden wave of simmering anger mixed with smothering humiliation crash through him, threatening to knock him off balance. 

He did not appreciate that Atem had effectively abandoned him after what was  _ supposed _ to be a wonderful, shared moment for the two of them. Maybe he had urgent business to attend to… Or maybe he had been summoned for some dance competition related finalities, considering that the formal announcement was being made soon.  ** _Either way_ ** _ , he could have given me at  _ ** _least_ ** _ a warning. Or, I dunno. Maybe even just a  _ ** _text_ ** _ .  _ As it was, his phone was infuriatingly silent on the table beside him. 

Yugi’s eyes narrowed, and he clenched his jaw in frustration. He wanted to talk things through with Atem. The card that he’d used… the sleeve it had been in… and his strange disappearance. Every aspect of the situation led him to believe that he was missing pieces of the puzzle. At this rate, he wasn’t even sure if the pieces he  _ did _ have were all from the same  _ box _ . 

There was no way in hell that he’d be playing nice and traipsing off on their little  _ date _ until he had more information from Atem. 

_ But, I have to work with him rather than against him… Something tells me he’s not going to be forthcoming with the information if I go around making demands.  _

“Yugi…?” The warmth of Tea’s voice interrupted his train of thought, and he quickly shoved his strategizing aside. He’d have more than enough time to think things through later, and he could always ask Joey to be a soundboard for his ideas. 

“Sorry. I was distracted.” 

“I understand.” She smiled, grabbing her bag from where she’d draped it over the back of the chair. “Would you like to go for a walk? Maybe it will help take your mind off things.” Her eyes were twinkling, and Yugi knew that there was absolutely no way he could say no. Not that he even wanted to. 

A walk with Tea in the cool evening air sounded like just what he needed. So, he smiled back and slipped into his jacket, knowing that she would lead the way. 

They stepped outside of the coffee shop and crossed the street, making their way toward a nearby park. It was small but featured a lovely, looping path that cut through several seasonal flower beds that were stunning in the summer as well as a separate area with a miniature grove of pine trees. Come December, there would be lights strung up about the trees and children laughing as they hurled snowballs at one another from the safety of their snow forts. 

The walk was mostly silent, and Yugi was thankful that Tea was able to read his mood so perfectly. It was just one of the many reasons why she was such an invaluable friend.

As they strolled through the space, the sun continued its steady descent. The moon was already high in the sky, and Yugi found his mind wandering as he peered up at it through the canopy of pine needles. 

He really… didn’t know what to think about Atem. There was undeniably a spark between the two of them, but he hated feeling so in the dark about his personal life. Re-reading his past magazine interviews wouldn’t help either, as he was notoriously close-lipped about anything related to his home life. 

So far every experience he’d shared with Atem had been… almost dreamlike. Not in the sense that it didn’t feel real, but rather in the sense that time seemed to pass differently. And, he was astonishingly less aware of the world that existed outside the two of them in those moments. 

Brow furrowed in thought, he stared at the sidewalk, hardly noticing the pine cones strewn haphazardly about the path. It had only just occurred to him that he really hadn’t spent much time at all processing the time he’d spent with Atem so far. 

He’d been so caught up in their whirlwind… romance? Attraction? Neither of those words felt particularly accurate, but he couldn’t think of a better phrase. 

Dancing with Atem, laughing with Atem, joking about pumpkin soup with Atem… He never felt more content than he did when they were together. 

That realization was just the tiniest bit frightening. 

And yet, he knew that this… whatever  _ this _ was… was something he wanted to pursue.  _ Well, you’d hope so, considering that now I owe him a date.  _ He grimaced, reluctantly recalling Atem’s rushed departure.  _ Why the heck-… Wasn’t the date  _ ** _his_ ** _ idea?!  _ He huffed, and Tea glanced knowingly at him from the corner of her eye. 

Well, no matter. He was known to enjoy a good puzzle. 

And he allowed no room for regret.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi is done with Atem's dramatics. He's ready to teach his teacher a lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so incredibly sorry for my slow update!!! Within the span of the last few months I was able to return to Japan once travel restrictions were lifted, moved from one apartment to another within Japan, and began a new job. 
> 
> Needless to say, it has been hectic in the extreme, but I am starting to adjust slowly but surely. Now that I have a bit more a schedule, I'm hoping to start writing more regularly again! I really do take great joy in writing fanfiction, especially knowing that readers like you all enjoy it and are able to take some solace in it. <3 
> 
> Please let me know what you think! I have most of the story outlined for this, so I'm hoping I can stay on track and keep making updates that you all can enjoy. 
> 
> Also, just a friendly reminder to let the tension ease out of your body. I feel like I usually forget that until someone says it to me... 
> 
> I hope this update finds you all in good health, and thank you for your support!! 
> 
> PoP

Every good story has a conflict. Something bitter or daunting… A challenge that must be met, or a foe that must be trounced. A misunderstanding between friends, or perhaps, a threat to world peace... 

Regardless of the shape it takes, there is always a conflict. Brewing ominously beneath the surface, only to strike when things seem at their most assured. Atem didn’t need to enroll in any English literature courses to understand the universal appeal of such a concept. 

But that didn’t mean he had to like it. 

He scrolled aimlessly through the featured films on Netflix, grimacing at the narrative thread connecting them all. He couldn’t escape the ever-present weight of conflict. Even comedy films had something propelling the story forward. 

He closed his laptop harshly enough to produce an audible _ click_, and paced to the kitchen with an unexpected speed that seemed to demonstrate his desire to escape. Roughly, he yanked the fridge open and reached within for the leftover fruit smoothie serving he’d saved for later. 

He needed to get out of here. He needed to get out of here and _ dance_. 

His mind wouldn’t stop racing, replaying his duel with Yugi on repeat as if it knew nothing else. As if the only language at his disposal was an utterly unproductive combination of wallowing in self-pity and rolling around in regret. This was no time to be inactive. He should be out there, making amends and attempting to explain more to Yugi about his past… Before someone else beat him to it. 

And yet, here he was. Slamming a glass of banana berry kale protein smoothie onto the counter and resting his head in his hands with a shuddering, hollow sigh. There was nothing he wanted more than to make things up to Yugi. He wanted to explain himself. Hell, he _ needed _ to. 

But he just couldn’t find it in himself to face him. Not yet. 

Even to himself, it sounded like nothing more than an empty excuse. He chuckled weakly, closing his eyes and focusing on smoothing out the tension in his body. His jaw was clenched, and his shoulders were stiff. 

_ In… and out… In… and out. _He took several deep breaths as he forcibly eased the stress he was holding. This was a practice that he had been working to perfect for quite some time, and he felt immensely grateful for it in moments like these. It had been foolish to think that Netflix or some other mindless activity would help him relax when the issue at hand was such a serious one. 

No matter how he felt, there was no point in avoiding Yugi. He didn’t even think he _ could_. He already felt so hopelessly intertwined with Yugi’s life that an attempt to pull himself out now would do nothing but cause mutual suffering. 

The only real option at his disposal was to have an honest conversation with him and hope that Yugi would understand where he was coming from. He swallowed thickly, eyebrows pinched and expression pained as he thought about what such a discussion would entail. 

And, that was assuming that Yugi even wanted to talk things through with him. 

It had already been a few days since their duel, and they hadn’t spoken since he strode hastily out of the cafe. He could still see the wounded look on Yugi’s face, confusion etched into every detail of his beautiful features. It was too much to bear. 

_ But… Yugi is nothing if not genuine and kind. There is still a chance that he will give me an opportunity to explain myself… _

The longer he thought, the more twisted and winding his own logic became, until he reached the point at which he finally realized he had become lost in what-ifs. He shook his head slowly before reaching for the smoothie and sipping thoughtfully. 

No matter the outcome, he had to try. 

But first, he needed to cool off, and there was nothing quite like dancing to achieve that effect. He spared a quick glance at his clothes and deemed them acceptable for an impromptu trip to the underpass. Maybe testing some of his newer moves in front of an appreciative audience would give him the mental boost he needed to give Yugi a call and request to meet up… At the very least, he would feel a bit less lost and overwhelmed after some exercise. 

He grabbed his coat from a hanger by the door and slung one of his messenger bags over his shoulder. It was a Tuesday evening, and he didn’t want to be out late tonight. He would need his energy this week to repair things with Yugi and deal with the new practice schedule that was about to kick off. 

Life wouldn’t sit still for him. He needed to get the fuck up and chase after what he really wanted… 

_ Dealing with conflict might be annoying as hell, but the positives wouldn’t stand out nearly so much without it… _ He reflected ruefully on the radiant beauty of Yugi’s smile, lingering on the sound of his laughter as poorly crafted origami cats prowled at the edge of his vision. 

He had a feeling that he was going to be pouring his all into tonight’s impromptu dance session. 

**~**

Yugi had waited long enough. He was getting tired of waiting. It seemed to him like his life had been filled with more than enough waiting to warrant being let off the hook just this once. 

_ But noooo. _

Atem, glorious, absolutely _ infuriating _ Atem, had been radio silent since striding elegantly out of the cafe during their weekend duel, and Yugi was done sitting around. He was going to find out why, and then he was going to ensure that Atem understood why he should _ never _ pull something like this ever again. 

He stabbed forcefully at the sole remaining meatball on his plate, expression dark and distracted. 

Joey peered worriedly at him from the opposite side of the table, trying not to stare but failing completely. “Uhh… Yug?” 

“What?” Yugi snapped. His harsh reply had come almost instantly, and Joey jumped in surprise at the palpable displeasure lacing the air around him. It was nearly suffocating, considering the fact that Yugi was not the type to anger easily. 

“Well… I was just wondering…” 

“If you’re about to ask about Atem… don’t.” Yugi stood abruptly and Joey blinked up at him from his place at the table. “I appreciate your concern, but this is something I need to deal with on my own. Thanks for dinner.” 

Yugi slipped away before Joey could so much as formulate a response. He was not in the mood to deal with his friend right now, despite the fact that he knew he had the best of intentions. No, what he needed was some fresh air. 

He needed to get out there and _ move _ . How strange… This was the first time in the months since beginning his new modern dance minor that he felt called upon to give himself up entirely to the growing siren song of a breakdance beat. And yet, he somehow knew that this urge… this _ need_… could only be fully satisfied if he managed to find Atem and challenge him head-on. He needed to prove that a silly little card game was not enough to make him back down. 

Atem meant far too much to him for that, though he himself didn’t seem to realize it… Yugi had the sinking suspicion that Atem was _ nervous _. The b-boy typically oozed confidence to the degree that it was visible in everything from the way he held himself to the raw power and emotion that drove him to dance with reckless abandon. It was physically painful to know that Atem was likely far more torn up about their duel than he was… that he had probably convinced himself that Yugi didn’t want to see him. 

“That absolute fool…” Yugi muttered, closing the door to his room before Joey could slip in after him. He grabbed his phone off the bed and flipped purposefully through the contacts list as he began to shimmy out of his day clothes. Once the phone was ringing, he set it on the dresser near his closet and tapped on the speakerphone button to free up his hands. He bit his lower lip in concentration as he rifled through his clothes with a critical eye, only half listening for the tell-tale beep of the phone. “Please, please, please, Duke… Don’t leave me hanging.” Yugi frowned as he grabbed a couple of hangers from the closet and tossed them onto the bed. 

Though he was infinitely grateful that he’d had the foresight to exchange numbers with Duke during their training session at the game shop, this was his first time actually attempting to contact him, and he had no idea what his schedule looked like. _ It might be foolishly optimistic of me to hope that he’ll be free on a Tuesday evening… _

The phone beeped, and Yugi’s heart nearly stilled at the sudden interruption to his racing thoughts. “Hello? Yugi…?” 

“Duke!” He was so grateful he could almost shed tears of happiness at the familiar voice. Suddenly, his half baked plan for the evening seemed far less absurd. Snatching up the phone from its place on the dresser, he gripped it eagerly in one hand as he began tugging on a pair of comfortable sweats that he often reserved for dance practice. “You have no idea how glad I am that you answered. I need your help!” He dropped his phone onto the bed and tugged the loose, long-sleeved sweater that he had chosen over his head. 

When he emerged, he was sporting a hungry grin, his prior angst evaporating as his hopes soared. He scooped up the phone and rifled through his bookbag. “Dude… are you ok? I heard about the duel, and I think Atem is pretty-”

“I’m fine! And as for Atem…” Yugi’s eyes narrowed as he pulled weighty binders and notebooks out of his bag and set them in a neat stack on the floor. If he was going to be lugging this around tonight, he wanted only the essentials to be weighing him down. “Well, let’s just say that I have plans for him,” he muttered darkly, reaching for his water bottle and slipping it into his bag along with some extra clothes and toiletries that he kept prepared atop a small stool. It was typically a precaution in case of a competition or impromptu dance practice call, but he figured it would be wise to bring it along tonight as well- just in case. After all, he didn’t know when or where he’d be able to find Atem. Heck, he wasn’t even sure what had him so convinced that Atem would even be out dancing tonight… There was just some part of him that was certain he would find Atem b-boying in some forgotten corner of the city in a foolhardy attempt to escape the conversation they both desperately needed to have. 

Well, no matter. If Atem was on the run, all that was left for him to do was to give chase. 

“Plans…? Wait, don’t tell me you’re going out looking for him?! You do realize it’s a Tuesday night… and that he’s basically hiding from you, because of… you know… what happened?” Duke spoke slowly, enunciating carefully as if he were uncertain about Yugi’s current mental condition. Yugi merely rolled his eyes in response as he zipped up his bag, content that he had everything he needed and then some. 

“Yes, Duke. I know what day of the week it is, and I also know that he’s being a big _ baby_.” Duke spluttered on the other end of the line, clearly taken aback by Yugi’s scathing declaration. “And you know what? I’m not going to let him. He can deal with his problems head on, like a big boy.” Yugi knew that he was being a little bit out of character, but heck, he was annoyed beyond belief, and Atem’s choice to slink off into the night after their duel had pushed him to the brink. Atem didn’t get to do that. Not after the relationship they had started to build and the trust they were beginning to place in one another. 

“I mean, Yugi… I know you’re frustrated and all, but-”

“Where is he?” Yugi’s voice was steady and demanding- making it clear that he meant business. 

Duke paused for a moment before replying, and Yugi was just about ready to utilize his own slow, over-the-top enunciation tactic against him when he finally spoke. “There’s an underpass not too far from campus, but you can’t get there without a car… Although there might be a bus that takes you close by…” 

“Just send me the address. I’ll get there myself. I’ll walk if I have to.” His eyes were blazing, and he stood tall as he grabbed his bag off the floor. 

“Yugi, I know you’re serious about this, but I just want you to know that-”

“No, Duke,” Yugi interrupted, slamming his eyes shut and taking a deep breath. “I understand that you want to warn me about something, but I just… can’t. I have to do this myself, and Atem needs to know that he can trust me to be there for him no matter what happens. We’re a…” He paused for a moment, suddenly confused as to what he had been about to say. _ What are we…? What can I even say that makes sense…? _ He cleared his throat and settled on, “We’re a _ team_. And we need to work together through thick and thin. I’m not so delicate that I’ll collapse after a single duel, and I need him to understand that. As a matter of fact, I’m feeling rather… fired up right now.” He smirked, swinging his bookbag over his shoulder and reaching for his phone. “I have a feeling that Atem is going to be _ very _ surprised when we meet this evening.” 

“Well, I can see that there’s no changing your mind… I sent you the address. And, Yugi…? Good luck.”

“Thanks, but I don’t need it. Not tonight.” Yugi’s eyes narrowed, and he hung up before quickly checking the time on his phone. _ Just after 7. Perfect. More than enough time to teach my teacher a lesson. _

He was going to find this underpass, and he was going to make Atem see just how resilient he was. And then, he was going to force Atem to sit down and have a real conversation with him. 

After all, they still needed to suss out the details of their _ date_, and Yugi was not about to let him forget. 

**~**

Yugi frowned as he followed the directions on his google maps app toward the address that Duke had sent him. Of course, it was an underpass, so it didn’t have its own ‘address’, so to speak. Instead, Duke had sent him the link to a bakery that was near the entrance. He glanced up to get his bearings, trying to assure himself that he was on the right track. The street lamps lining the road glowed in the darkness, and there was far more traffic than he had expected. Although, considering that the intersecting roads were busy enough to warrant an underpass, he supposed that wasn’t too out of left field. 

After he spotted a landmark that was noted on the map, his mind wandered to thoughts of his childhood, wishing that he could visit his family more easily. His mother and grandfather always gave such good advice, and he couldn’t help but wonder what they would have to say about the situation he had gotten himself into… He was sure they would be proud of him for trying something so new by tackling this modern dance major, and he hoped that they would applaud him for taking the reins and approaching Atem head-on. 

His grandfather had always told him that waiting too long to make a decision only delayed the inevitable. He would smile warmly and say, “It is always best to follow your heart, Yugi. Choose the path that sings to you.” Though he hadn’t fully understood it at the time, he was beginning to appreciate the imagery more now. There really was something about Atem that sang to him… Even just thinking that, he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of facial expression the b-boy would make if he heard it phrased that way. 

He often found his thoughts drifting toward Atem without realizing what the origin of the redirection had been… Yugi chuckled to himself, imagining that if his mind were a train, Atem was the one mischievously pulling levers alongside the tracks to direct him as he saw fit. It was a rather whimsical image but one that seemed to accurately depict their relationship. He could only hope that Atem thought about him even half as much…

He exhaled slowly, noticing that the vapor from his breath was beginning to linger in the air as the temperature dropped. Tonight just so happened to be one of the coldest nights they’d had yet, and being from a warmer part of Japan, he was not used to such a bitter chill. Unfortunately, even spending two prior winters on the DPAC campus had done nothing to build up his resistance to the unforgiving weather. 

He was even more eager to find the underpass now, hoping that the space would be packed enough to benefit from trapped body heat. He picked up the pace, noticing that the Google maps app now estimated only a few minutes until his arrival. It was lucky that he’d managed to find a bus to get him closer to the location, though he wasn’t sure what he’d do once he was ready to leave, as it was likely that the public transport wouldn’t even be running by then. Maybe he would have to call Joey and see if he could come give him a ride… 

He strode determinedly forward, increasingly thankful that the pair of sweatpants he had chosen was tight around his ankles and lined with a wooly interior. His mother had been wise to send him some warmer practice clothes in a care package the year before, although how she’d had the foresight that he would be practicing outdoors was beyond him. 

Suddenly, Yugi spotted the shimmering lights of what he hoped was the bakery shop. The building sat on the corner of two busy roads, and as he drew closer, he breathed a sigh of relief. The shop window featured a variety of flaky, buttery bread products, and the glowing light from within seemed infinitely warm and welcoming compared to the chill that licked along any inch of exposed skin it could find. 

It looked like they were set to close right at 8, which meant that if he stopped by now, he’d have just enough time to grab a couple of treats to split with Atem. After all, he was sure they’d both need a pick-me-up after dancing in the cold. Having made his decision, he strolled into the shop, smiling and relaxing as the soothing warmth and delicious smells of the interior embraced him. An older man stood behind the till, clearly beginning the procedure to close up shop. 

“Ah, welcome! We’re a bit low on stock since it’s almost 8, but I’ll sell you anything you’d like for half off.” He smiled kindly and gave Yugi a nod before continuing his work. 

“Thank you! I really appreciate it.” Yugi grinned and grabbed a couple of tasty looking pastries before pausing in shock. His eyes had landed on a roll that claimed to be filled with red bean paste, a traditional sweet from his homeland. “You… you use _ adzuki_…?” he questioned in awe, grabbing a couple from the dwindling pile and adding them to his purchases. 

“Ah, yes! I spent a year of college studying abroad in Japan, and I’ve always been interested in the culinary culture. I don’t sell the _ adzuki _ pastries every day, though. You’re quite lucky that you’ve stopped by on one of the days I stock them! If you’re all set, bring them on over, and I’ll get them wrapped up for you.”

“Thank you,” Yugi murmured, still reeling from the fact that he had managed to nab a couple of _ adzuki _ pastries. He was actually beyond excited at the prospect of getting to share something such a prominent piece of his culture with Atem. 

In moments, he was back outside, shivering from the temperature change, and yet simultaneously feeling warmer and lighter than he had in the past few days. 

He spotted what _ had _ to be the underpass and made his way toward it with a renewed sense of calm. He still felt ready to confront Atem and chase him all the way to the ends of the earth if he had to, but he was also confident that he was doing the right thing. Atem seemed like the type to get too caught up in his own thoughts and emotions, allowing them to become a form of personal quicksand that he couldn’t escape unless someone else reached out with a branch and dragged him out. 

Well, he was here, and he was ready to offer that branch. He figured it wouldn’t be too out of line to give a mild _ thwack _ with said branch afterward, just for good measure. 

As he approached the underpass, he twisted his bag off one shoulder and slid the pastries inside. He didn’t know when they would come in handy, but he was certain that they would. He gave them a gleeful pat and whispered, “You will be my secret weapon this evening, lovelies.” He chuckled at himself before zipping the bag. He was so close to the underpass now that every step he took sent a thrum of adrenaline through his veins, and he began to feel the tell tale vibrations of a hip-hop backtrack through the soles of his shoes. It felt as if he were gearing up for war, which was such a hilarious notion that he couldn’t stop a giggle from escaping his lips. 

Whistles, whoops, and hollers became increasingly audible, and he stepped into the dark hallway of the underpass with nothing more than his sheer determination to propel him forward. He was walking into the belly of the beast, quite literally. 

He noted that the vibrations of the music melded dramatically and seamlessly with the movement of cars and trucks overhead, creating an atmosphere that heightened his senses and urged him forward. It felt almost primal. He couldn’t resist… The siren song that had called to him before was amplified to an almost painful intensity. 

One foot in front of the other… Whistles… A hypnotic beat thrumming, _ pulsing_, within him and yet somehow shaking the very air around him. 

He didn’t spare a glance for the graffiti lining the underpass’ walls, his eyes seeking only one thing. Before long, he found what he was looking for. The hunted had become the hunter. 

Atem was dancing, although this time, it was obvious to Yugi that something about him was off. The usual passion and confidence that drove his movements was… it wasn’t _ lacking_, but it was… coarse… unrefined. Atem was slipping, and Yugi could do nothing but continue his forward march. He wasn’t pleased to know that Atem’s focus was suffering, though he was confident that he was more than capable of re-aligning it. Right here. Right now. 

The moment that Atem paused in his movements and met Yugi’s eyes was the moment that something within him settled. He had definitely been right to come here. Atem was clearly shocked, his eyes wide and stance taken aback. 

The insistent thrumming of the music didn’t stop. 

Yugi dropped his bag and stretched lightly as he eyed Atem from across the small space dividing them. He allowed his eyes to drag up and down the length of the b-boy’s posture, not allowing the answering glimmer he spotted in Atem’s eyes to derail him. He wasn’t going to let Atem pull the lever on his thoughts tonight. 

“I challenge you, Atem. To a dance off.” 

Vibrations… a small cough… but otherwise, silence.

The other dancers that had gathered in the space all stared at him, though the expressions on their faces were a mix of shock and amusement. 

“Yugi… I…” 

“Do you accept?” Yugi shrugged out of his jacket and raised a brow, enjoying the fact that all Atem could do was stand there and stare at him in shock. He was so used to being the one made speechless that it felt delicious to turn the tables on him. It was intoxicating

“I…” 

“Don’t worry, this one is off the books. So your title won’t suffer when you lose.” He smirked and strode forward, enjoying the fact that the audience parted and created a performance circle of equal size for him. 

“When I lose…?” Atem stated dumbly, following Yugi’s movements with a hawk-like intensity. 

“Yep. Because I can tell that you’re just not into it right now, Atem. And let me tell you…” He allowed his gaze to drift lazily toward the other b-boy, eyes narrowing in focus. “I sure as hell am.” 

Atem’s eyes widened fractionally once more, but he seemed to sense that there would be no escaping this unforeseen turn of events. “Very well, then.” 

Some part of Yugi felt strangely reminded of his first in-person encounter with Atem’s b-boy skills all that time ago behind the art building. He had been in a state of speechless awe then, and Atem had been perfectly controlled, existing in time with the music. But tonight, the tables were turned. There was a whole lot about him that Atem didn’t know, and there was no better time or place to demonstrate than here and now. 

“Queue up a backtrack, and let’s get this party started.” 

Someone in the audience yelled out an affirmative, and Yugi inhaled deeply, allowing the cool night air to ground him. Atem was about to be very surprised. He grinned wickedly as the music began, giving in to the siren song once and for all. 

**~**

Atem gritted his teeth in focus, still reeling from the shock of seeing Yugi appear in the underpass and knowing immediately that he must have found out about the spot from Duke. He had appeared in the darkness of the tunnel with an almost blinding radiance, his eyes and aura more determined and passionate than Atem had ever seen. In that moment, he had truly felt _ caught _, which was a ridiculous notion considering that he had never been running to begin with. Right…? 

Well, that wasn’t entirely true… He supposed that his actions the past few days could be conceived of as running… Although he hadn’t known at the time just how driven Yugi would be to chase after him. He had been under the assumption that Yugi would be content to leave him be- allowing him to wallow in his own self-pity without so much as a glance in his direction. 

Clearly, he had been wrong. 

Yugi was here, and he was on _ fire_. He was utilizing breakdance moves that he had never seen the ballet dancer perform before, and it made him wonder just how much practice Yugi had done without him. He felt a simultaneous pang of sadness and beat of pride at the thought. 

_ I’m supposed to be his teacher, but it’s obvious that he’s the one teaching me… _His breathing was uncontrolled, and he couldn’t keep up with the speed and ferocity that Yugi was exhibiting. 

Everything about the way he was moving tonight was purely _ him_. A delicate balance of ballet precepts and form mixed with breakdancing fluidity and fire. He knew he was losing, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. Everything about the sight was inspiring, and he knew at once that he had been a fool to assume that Yugi wouldn’t want to speak to him after their duel. 

In hindsight, it felt unbearably, painfully foolish. He wanted nothing more than to accept defeat and whisk Yugi away to his apartment for a much needed, long-overdue private conversation. 

Atem had never thought that ‘accepting defeat’ would be a phrase within his vocabulary… But Yugi was a more than worthy opponent. 

He wanted to kiss him. 

He wanted to push him up against the curved, concrete wall of the overpass and subject him to his ministrations. 

But first, he needed to apologize, and they needed to talk. It would be a monumentally difficult task to hold off on his physical desires, and he felt that he was deserving of a medal simply for contemplating it. 

The music drew to a close, and Yugi turned to face him with a beautiful, radiant grin, his fists clenched and held in midair as if he could already taste victory. To make matters worse, his face was flushed from exertion, which only made Atem want to kiss him more. How on earth was he supposed to resist when the object of his desire was so utterly tempting? “Take that! I bet you can’t believe that someone like me could pull that off, huh?!”

Atem merely stared at him, appraising the one who had pulled him into the light time and time again. “I’m not surprised you’re speechless after getting so thoroughly pounded.” Atem had to bite his tongue to keep from making a cheeky innuendo about Yugi’s word choice, feeling confident that he could make him blush later, once they were securely tucked away in the safety of his home. There was absolutely no way he was leaving tonight without Yugi in tow. Not after that display. Not after the days they had spent apart due to his own foolishness. 

Yugi grinned, oblivious to Atem’s inner thoughts, and turned to face the audience. “What do you think?! Who won?!” The raucous cheers he received in answer were more than enough for Atem to know that everyone watching had picked up on Yugi’s superior focus and heightened passion.

He stalked toward Yugi slowly, savoring the look on his face once the ballet dancer realized that Atem was moving in his general direction. “Mhm… You definitely won.” Yugi balked from the unexpected vocal acceptance. The adorable sight of his open-mouthed shock was simply too much to bear. Atem couldn't resist leaning forward and whispering in Yugi’s ear, needing nothing more than to make him blush. He couldn’t explain it, but in that moment he needed it more than air. “Although, I’m more than ready to return the _ pounding _ anytime, Yugi…” he breathed, grinning wickedly at the noticeable hitch in Yugi’s breath. 

“You-! I…!” Yugi spluttered, blushing furiously and nearly tripping over nothing in his haste to put some distance between them. 

“Let’s go. I think you and I have some things to discuss.” Atem didn’t wait for a reply before reaching for his hand and tugging him toward the exit, pausing to scoop up Yugi’s bag and jacket with his spare hand. He ignored the whoops and hollers that followed them up the underpass, embracing the cool breeze in the hopes that it would keep him from doing anything stupid. He’d only just found Yugi again, and he didn’t have any desire to scare him off. 

Who am I kidding… Yugi found _ me _. He closed his eyes and smiled bitterly, his heart softening when Yugi threaded their fingers together. Perhaps things were not as lost as he had tricked himself into believing. 

He had only to follow Yugi’s guiding light.


End file.
